Discharge medical categories

[brett361975]

After looking through various service records and MIC's I have noticed that some soldiers are discharged as Category A other's as category Z.

Would anyone happen to have a definitive list of exactly what these different categories stand for.

I'm thinking A1 is fit to fight

Z not fit for service???

The man I'm researching at the moment was category B3 on his discharge I would like to know what exactly cat B3 is but would also be keen to learn what the others mean.

Thanks for any help

Regards

Brett

[jay dubaya]

Hi Brett

Just typed this up for my notes and hope it's of some use,

March 1915

Class A: Fit for service at home or abroad.

Class B: Temporarily unfit for service abroad.

Class C: Fit for home service only.

Class D: Unfit for service at home or abroad.

Lord Derby was appointed Director-General of Recruiting in October 1915 and he introduced revised classifications to cover different standards of fitness:

1. Fit for general service.

2. Fit for field service at home.

3. Fit for garrison service

(a) abroad.

( at home..

4. Fit

(a) for labour.

( for clerical work

5. Unfit for military service.

The classification system was also revised at the same time:

Category A

Fit for general service.

1. Trained and physically fit for overseas service.

2. Physically fit but needed training to become A1.

3. Convalescing men expected to be fit in three months.

4. Young men who would be A1 or A2 when they reached 19 years.

Category B

Fit for service abroad on lines of communication.

1. Garrison or provisional units; able to march, good eyesight and hearing.

2. Labour units or garrisons; able to walk, reasonable eyesight and hearing.

3. Sedentary work.

Category C

Fit for garrison duty at home.

1. Garrison or provisional units; able to march, good eyesight and hearing.

2. Labour units or garrisons; able to walk, reasonable eyesight and hearing.

3. Sedentary work.

Category D

Temporarily unfit for categories A, B or C.

1. In command depots.

2. In regimental depots under treatment.

3. In any unit or depot under or awaiting treatment.

Category E

Unfit for service and not likely to be within 6 months.

A final classification of recruits was introduced when the National Service Ministry took over responsibility for examining potential recruits:

Grade 1. Fit for general service; would become Category A when called up.

Grade 2. Likely to improve with training; Category A1 or C1 when called up.

Grade 3. Only fit for labouring duties or a sedentary occupation.

Grade 4. Permanently and totally unfit for any form of military service.

'Class Z' refers to men who were discharged to Class Z of the Army Reserve, and in basic terms meant that an individual was demobilized but placed on the reserve subject to recall. Class Z was only used for men who joined up during the war and does not include pre-war regulars or pre-war territorials.

Jon

[brett361975]

Jon,

Thank you for your very informative answer. Very useful thank you very much

Regards

Brett

[David B]

Jon,

Re class Z. This means pre war regulars with continuous service through to the war and beyond presumably.

My grandfather was a pre war regular but paid off in 1910 after 25 years and was recalled through the special reserve.

His discharge in 1919 was class Z. His brother who completed 21 years in 1920 from 1899 continuous, doesnt appear to

be discharged to any category.

David