Hi Could someone tell me if this is an unusual or commomplace: I have just received records from Archives for a great uncle, some of the pages are virtually unreadable but from the 84 pages it would appear the man firstly tried to enlist June 1915 and was deemed unfit because of bad teeth, in April 1916 he again tried to enlist, this time he was successful but it was noted he had Curvature of the Spine and was only fit for "home duties". Then in September 1916 he was discharged "medically unfit - 1. Suffered Epilepsy - 2. Chronic Alcoholism his Papers marked "Of Bad Character" . However, in February 1917 he again enlisted and was accepted at Ballarat - On 1/8/1917 he was discharged - "no longer required". Records show he again enlisted in Nowra - February 1918 this time for overseas duty, he embarked for Europe several months later where it would appear he spent a lot of the time in Hospitals or AWOL, also a lot of disciplinary charges for drunkenness. He returned to! Aust., December 1919. All "enlistments" show same name, personal details etc., What I would like to know was it common place to reenlist several times over? Also would the Army have been aware of his past enlistments everytime he reenlisted? Thankyou Suzanne

Sue Griffin wrote: >Hi > Could someone tell me if this is an unusual or commomplace: I >have just received records from Archives for a great uncle, some of >the pages are virtually unreadable but from the 84 pages it would >appear the man firstly tried to enlist June 1915 and was deemed >unfit because of bad teeth, in April 1916 he again tried to enlist, >this time he was successful but it was noted he had Curvature of the >Spine and was only fit for "home duties". Then in September 1916 >he was discharged "medically unfit - 1. Suffered Epilepsy - 2. >Chronic Alcoholism his Papers marked "Of Bad Character" . However, >in February 1917 he again enlisted and was accepted at Ballarat - >On 1/8/1917 he was discharged - "no longer required". Records show >he again enlisted in Nowra - February 1918 this time for overseas >duty, he embarked for Europe several months later where it would >appear he spent a lot of the time in Hospitals or AWOL, also a lot >of disciplinary charges for drunkenness. He returned to! > Aust., December 1919. All "enlistments" show same name, personal >details etc., What I would like to know was it common place to >reenlist several times over? Also would the Army have been aware of >his past enlistments everytime he reenlisted? > >Thankyou >Suzanne Wow, 84 pages is a very long file. While the overwhelming majority enlisted only once, there are many cases of people enlisting multiple times. His second attempt is typical of them: he had bad teeth, he got some dental work done. Others were invalided back to Australia and discharged and later re-enlisted when they got well. Fitness for duty was also affected by lowering of medical standards. Some people rejected early in the war (usually for height or teeth) were accepted later. There were no computers and no access to central records. If you went to another enlistment place they wouldn't have had access to earlier records although Records might have eventually caught up with you. Birth certificate and documentation were also frequently incomplete. This is why we hear so many stories of people changing their name or age. It is clear that his real problem was alcoholism. "No longer required" was an Army catch-all for anyone they wanted to get rid of. He should never have been shipped overseas. Doctors have problems with a volunteer system. Normally people came to them when they feel sick. Under a volunteer system, people try to cover up their illnesses. People slipped through the net, became a burden on the Army medical system, performed no useful service, and upon discharge could claim benefits on the grounds that their problems were related to their service. After all, some doctor had given them a clean bill of health when they enlisted! -- ---- First AIF Order of Battle: http://www.adfa.edu.au/~rmallett/

In the research I have done 5 enlistments for 1 person was the top but it is quite possible others enlisted more than 5 times. As the standards changed and the need for reinforcements grew many a "blind eye" was turned. See http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-recruits/enlistment_standards.htm for the different rules ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sue Griffin" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, February 24, 2003 10:56 AM Subject: WW 1 ENLISTMENTS > Hi > Could someone tell me if this is an unusual or commomplace: I have just received records from Archives for a great uncle, some of the pages are virtually unreadable but from the 84 pages it would appear the man firstly tried to enlist June 1915 and was deemed unfit because of bad teeth, in April 1916 he again tried to enlist, this time he was successful but it was noted he had Curvature of the Spine and was only fit for "home duties". Then in September 1916 he was discharged "medically unfit - 1. Suffered Epilepsy - 2. Chronic Alcoholism his Papers marked "Of Bad Character" . However, in February 1917 he again enlisted and was accepted at Ballarat - On 1/8/1917 he was discharged - "no longer required". Records show he again enlisted in Nowra - February 1918 this time for overseas duty, he embarked for Europe several months later where it would appear he spent a lot of the time in Hospitals or AWOL, also a lot of disciplinary charges for drunkenness. He returned to! > Aust., December 1919. All "enlistments" show same name, personal details etc., What I would like to know was it common place to reenlist several times over? Also would the Army have been aware of his past enlistments everytime he reenlisted? > > Thankyou > Suzanne > > ______________________________

Sue Your great uncle sounds like a right character ! * It would not have been unusual for him to be rejected in 1915 but accepted later in the war. In 1914-15 they were looking for the "best specimens" and got less choosy later on as they became more desperate for recruits * The medical exam to be accepted was largely an external one looking at things like mobility, eyesight, chest expansion etc. If he had the ailments he was later diagnosed with he could pass the initial exam (one of my wife's ancestors did the same when they didn't pick up his arthritis first up) * Those with ailments that didn't prevent them from doing non-combat duties might be accepted - I had one distant relative accepted for clerical duties only because his eyesight was considered too poor * It was not uncommon to try and enlist several times. Sometimes wounded soldiers who had been returned home would re-enlist for non-combat roles. * The army organisation was not up to detailed checking for previous enlistments. Bear in mind they had to keep track of over 400,000 men over numerous war fronts overseas plus many at home with nothing more sophisticated than paper and typewriters. As far as I know, there was not a consolidated list of of the AIF prepared until after the war. Your great uncle's attestation paper for each enlistment contained a question about previous military experience. If he answered that truthfully he would have been picked up, but I assume that he did not. Essentially the army took the information on the attestation paper at face value, whgich is why so many people got away with putting incorrect information on them. Rgds Peter Gibson Queanbeyan NSW ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sue Griffin" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, February 24, 2003 11:56 AM Subject: WW 1 ENLISTMENTS > Hi > Could someone tell me if this is an unusual or commomplace: I have just received records from Archives for a great uncle, some of the pages are virtually unreadable but from the 84 pages it would appear the man firstly tried to enlist June 1915 and was deemed unfit because of bad teeth, in April 1916 he again tried to enlist, this time he was successful but it was noted he had Curvature of the Spine and was only fit for "home duties". Then in September 1916 he was discharged "medically unfit - 1. Suffered Epilepsy - 2. Chronic Alcoholism his Papers marked "Of Bad Character" . However, in February 1917 he again enlisted and was accepted at Ballarat - On 1/8/1917 he was discharged - "no longer required". Records show he again enlisted in Nowra - February 1918 this time for overseas duty, he embarked for Europe several months later where it would appear he spent a lot of the time in Hospitals or AWOL, also a lot of disciplinary charges for drunkenness. He returned to! > Aust., December 1919. All "enlistments" show same name, personal details etc., What I would like to know was it common place to reenlist several times over? Also would the Army have been aware of his past enlistments everytime he reenlisted? > > Thankyou > Suzanne > > ______________________________