Conscription was a feature of both world wars in Britain and for almost twenty years after Hitler was defeated. Men were expected to undertake National Service and spend two years in the armed forces. For many young this brought discipline to their lives, for others it gave them the opportunity to see the far flung places of Britain's dwindling Empire such as Cyprus, Malaya and Kenya. During the Cold War it was vital that Britain could call upon a professionally trained group of men at any time. The National Serviceman’s Handbook acted as a training manual for hundreds of thousands of men. This Manual is a compilation of the various army training manuals used during the National Service years.