kellysmith1976 Posted 1 August , 2017 Share Posted 1 August , 2017 Hi.. Im hoping someone can answer a question for me.. I have my Great Grandads Military Service papers, and He was classified as A II , which i think means fit for general service.. However.. He joined up in September 1916, I have recently found out he was in a mental Asylum three times, Once in 1904 when he was 19, and again in 1914, for 6 months, then again for 6months in 1915.. He was termed as 'recovered' and discharged on Feb 1916.. Its a little alarming that he was allowed to Join up.. Is this 'normal' . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 1 August , 2017 Share Posted 1 August , 2017 4 minutes ago, kellysmith1976 said: Hi.. Im hoping someone can answer a question for me.. I have my Great Grandads Military Service papers, and He was classified as A II , which i think means fit for general service.. However.. He joined up in September 1916, I have recently found out he was in a mental Asylum three times, Once in 1904 when he was 19, and again in 1914, for 6 months, then again for 6months in 1915.. He was termed as 'recovered' and discharged on Feb 1916.. Its a little alarming that he was allowed to Join up.. Is this 'normal' . Unless he told them or there were clear signs at the point of enlistment then were was no way the army would have have known. There are cases of men who had relatively obvious issues, such as having very little hearing or sight (or even missing a trigger finger) being able to get through training and out to the front line. A mental health issue wouldn't always impact on someone's physical fitness and, being a 'hidden disability, is not always obvious. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellysmith1976 Posted 1 August , 2017 Author Share Posted 1 August , 2017 Thank you for the reply.. Ive read his case notes from the Asylum.. He was termed as recovered.. So i guess it wasnt at all obvious.. We as a family never knew he was in the asylum, at all.. But from his discriptions on admission.. he does sound pretty 'insane'... He served as a driver in RFA.. He was even punished a couple of times for insubordination! .. Bless him! Thanks again x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 1 August , 2017 Share Posted 1 August , 2017 11 hours ago, kellysmith1976 said: Thank you for the reply.. Ive read his case notes from the Asylum.. He was termed as recovered.. So i guess it wasnt at all obvious.. We as a family never knew he was in the asylum, at all.. But from his discriptions on admission.. he does sound pretty 'insane'... He served as a driver in RFA.. He was even punished a couple of times for insubordination! .. Bless him! Thanks again x There's a book called 'The Forgotten Lunatics of the Great War' heavy going but it would shed some light on what happned as it gives similar cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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