Flak for ‘grumblers’ over fitness tests

Recruitment of ‘older men’ again in spotlight

There was scathing criticism 100 years ago for the “grumblers” complaining about the tests on older men to find out if they were fit for military service.

Because of heavy losses, particularly on the Western Front, the Government decided conscription should be extended to all men up to the age of 50.

Those aged between 41, the previous upper age limit, and 50 were summoned for medical examination to find out if they were healthy enough to be called up.

Those classed grade one were judged fit for frontline service. Less healthy individuals were either told they were not required or able for service such as guard duty, away from the frontline.

Men between 41 and 50 from Stirling area were called for examination by the Viewforth (Stirling) National Service Medical Board.

A public meeting attended by older men unhappy at being passed by the board as grade one, had already been held in the town.

In a letter to the Observer, a man signing himself ‘46 Grade One,’ paid tribute to the “excellent” arrangements being made at Viewforth to deal with the large number of men who had to undergo medical examination.

He thought procedures to assess fitness for service were far better than those in place at earlier stages of the war, and added: “Some very wild statements have been made about Viewforth by some of our local grumblers and it is highly amusing to hear some expressing the opinion that a man could be medically examined without stripping; others who were always loud in their expressions of manhood and are very indignant at being passed fit, and all imaginary troubles are being trotted out by others to escape a high grading.”

He acknowledged mistakes may have been made and some men given an unwarranted high grade.

But he said little was heard from the “healthy specimens” who been told they were unfit for serving at the sharp end of the war effort.

His experience was those who felt they had been given the wrong grade were offered a reexamination.

And he added that the “class of men” making the most complaints about being passed by the medical board included many who had actively canvassed for new recruits under previous schemes to up the number of men joining up.

“It says very little for those men that now, when their turn has come to join up, they should make themselves look foolish in the eyes of whom they were so anxious to see joining up previously,” he added.

Highly amusing to hear some expressing the opinion that a man could be medically examined without stripping