How would the Beatles story have worked out if National Service hadn’t ended? Or Ended sooner?
After World War 2 had ended, so many soldiers had been killed or wounded, and the so-called Cold War had begun, the British government brought in National Service conscription into one of the armed forces.
This has consequences for one of the Beatles drummers, Norman Chapman, who little was known about until David Bedford’s book, The Fab One Hundred and Four: The Evolution of The Beatles, when he tracked down Norman’s family and presented the first and only biography and photographs of Chapman. He had succeeded the first Beatles’ drummer, Tommy Moore, not long before they were heading to Hamburg.
The Fab One Hundred and Four: The Evolution of The Beatles
The Fab one hundred and Four: The Evolution of The Beatles tells how the four Quarrymen became the Fab Four of John, Paul, George and Ringo.
But, because of National Service, the week before The Beatles headed for Hamburg, Norman got his call-up papers to join the army, and he was off to Kenya for 2 years, and not to Hamburg with The Beatles! Because of this, Pete Best was conscripted into The Beatles just days before they headed to Hamburg.
What about The Beatles and National Service?
The government had decided in 1957 that National Service was to be ended for those born after 1st October 1939. With John, Stuart, and Ringo being born in 1940, they escaped National Service, but only by months! If National Service had only been extended for 12 months, then these 3 Beatles would not have been Beatles! What would have happened then? Would Paul and George have waited two years? But what if it hadn’t been ended at all? As John, Stuart and Ringo were finishing their National Service, Paul would have been starting his, and then a year later, George would have begun his conscription.
The Beatles: What If?
This is just one of 70 scenarios discussed in the latest book by David Bedford, with Andrew Phillips, called The Beatles: What If? Our conclusion was that if National Service had been extended, then the chance of The Beatles getting together would have been impossible and it would have been the end of the group.
Do you agree? Let us know in the comments below.
Get your copy of the book here:
US AND CANADA (For UK/ Europe see below)
The Beatles What If? Limited Edition Hardback (US & CANADA)
How different would the world have been without The Beatles? What If history was different?
This book explores the many times The Beatles story could have turned out so differently. What if it didn’t happen the way it did?
Order here for the US and CANADA only
UK/ Europe
The Beatles What If? Limited Edition Hardback (UK EUROPE)
How different would the world have been without The Beatles?
This book explores the many times The Beatles story could have turned out so differently. What if it didn’t happen the way it did?
Order here for the UK and Europe
ORDER IN THE US VIA GOLDENAGEMUSICCOLLECTIBLES
