Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Do most old soldiers having hearing problems?


Guest Jeric

Recommended Posts

Guest John Sukey

Just a minor item. Men do tend to lose the high end as they get older, but women have a hearing loss in the lower end due to age.

Now my 20 years on the flight line working on jet fighters just possibly may have something to do with my hearing loss. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know of two retired Lieutenant-Colonels who joined the army after WWII. One, ex RA, blames his hearing loss on rifle shooting - he was a Queen's 100 Rifle Shot. Another, ex infantry, another keen shot became as deaf as a proverbial post. Both were in receipt of pensions. So I suspect prolific shots were prone - afterall many front line soldiers used their rifles relatively infrequently.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dont go to Jefferson Starship concerts Andy, go deaf listening to something better

What happened to the girl of your dreams, or cant you say :D

Only joking Ali

I am married to the girl of my dreams

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello everyone this is my first post

Regarding the subject of soldiers and deafness caused by military service.

Up to 1964 the army did not take deafness seriously. It was the introduction of the 7.62mm NATO round that first brought the problem to the fore. Old soldiers had been claiming compensation for hearing loss this was usually for deafness caused by explosion and was quite difficult to prove.

However when we got the SLR/GPMG with its high velocity ammunition in 1958 and by 1963 we were instructed to wear cotton wool plugs in the ear wnen shooting live ammo. Then followed ear defenders (plugs) and the 'Amplivox' defenders.

This of course meant that most soldiers especially the infantry were in danger of shooting induced hearing loss and claims subsequently increased. Forcing the Government to change the rules leading to most people getting a one of payment and no pension.

As a by product of the above in 1971 I whent deaf in one ear the Medical Orderly syringed my ear finding a piece of cotton wool left over from the sixties! :

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I too suffer from high tone deafness as a result io military service. There was a tacit admission by the MOD in the late 1980's that the ear defenders issued to the forces from about 1964 were in fact not up to the job. Up until about ten years ago, as has been mentioned above, a one-time payment was made in respect of this. No longer I'm afraid , they now deny liability for anything and the onus is on the service man or woman to prove their case.

High tone deafness affects people in different way. I my case, I have difficulty hearing when there is background noise. It sometimes leads to people thinking you are rude and not listening! It can have its advantages on occassion though. I call it my Nelson's deaf ear.

Terry Reeves

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know of any military guy w/o hearing problems; I am in my 32nd active duty year of service and I admit I did lots of negligence with respect to health in the service to include ear protection. I don't hear well when kids and wife desire to spend my salary in the mall. Seriously; as a young Lieutenant you don't care of ear protection and stuff. I recall being deaf for 3 days after MG/hand grenade etc live firing w/o protection. The result is for most military men/women? a frequency hole at about 4000 Hertz. 4000 Hertz by the way is exactly the shopping mall frequency :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Evening all.

A very interesting topic,and one i have always wondered about.

95 Decibels(plus)over a period of time,will do permanent damage to your hearing,with no protection.

I have never been in the military,but i remember my time with the little,yellow,ear corks,as a Feeder/Setter(for 11 years)on a Cardboard Box Machine,doing 80,000 boxes in a shift.

The noise,from the feed end of the machine,ran at an average of 120 Decibels(sometimes 130Db),and it was painfull,even with ear plugs!!.

As a kid i used to go Beating(driving Pheasants to their deaths!),and sometimes there would be 20 or 30 Guns(some,just behind you),on a Shoot,a mixture of 12 Bore and 20 Bore Shotguns.

Low velocity,and very noisy,but never made me wince,or made my ears hurt.

Unlike the one,and only,high velocity round i ever fired!!!

Still find my ears ringing,from that one,even now.

Being under constant high velocity bangs,really must have affected these guys hearing.

They may not have been right next to the gun,or shell burst,or rifle,when it went off,but over a period of time,they would have been near hundreds of them.

That is going to make you a little,"Mutton",if you survive.

All the best.

Simon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I suffer from deafness in the higher register "dont always hear the wife talkng to me,( its an ill wind........ wear a hearing aid). Once had the misfortune of sitting most of a day at the side of an active 3 inch mortar which left me deaf for the next 24 hours, that and other explosions , S.M.L.E. etc . was I believe the cause of my deafness. Cliff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...