Men of the Goulburn region were discovering that a passionate love of king and country and a desire to crush the Huns were not enough to get one into uniform, 100 years ago this week. Without "eight sound grinders" among your teeth and without a manly chest, our king and country didn't want you.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Goulburn Evening Penny Post reported "RECRUITING IN GOULBURN. STEADY VOLUNTEERING."
In a week there had been 22 rejections (out of 88 applicants).
"Lieutenant Coleman, the recruiting officer in charge, states that most of the rejections have been made on account of defective teeth. He states that if these men get their teeth attended to they will be accepted. A man must have at least eight sound grinders.
"The men who have passed during the week have been of a very fine type. If the standard is maintained Goulburn should have reason to feel proud of her representatives at the front.
"One who was accepted this morning deserves special mention. His case should raise the rejected feelings of others who have been passed out because of their inability to expand their chests to the required measurement.
"This young enthusiast is only 18 years of age. A month ago he was rejected because he could not expand his chest to 32 inches. He was keenly disappointed, but, determined to enlist, he took on physical exercises, and this morning he measured 33 inches round the chest (normal) and 36 inches fully expanded. He had reason to feel proud of himself when he was handed his papers."
