Complex sentence: Almost the entire village population was not called up for the First World War as the local industry was wicker-basket weaving and this was a protected industry as the baskets made in Brimpton were used to carry ammunition to the front line.
Split into simpler sentences: Almost the entire village population was employed in wicker-basket weaving during the First World War and were thus not called up for this was protected industry. The baskets made in Brimpton were used to carry ammunition to the front line.