Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Labour and National Service, Military Recruitment...

This series contains records of Medical Board examinations from 1939. For the period 1939-1948, the records take the form of registers, giving brief details of the persons examined, the examination and its findings, and the grade in which the examinee was placed. From June 1948 onwards, the records are microfilm copies of the original Medical Board examination reports, some of which cannot be read in their current format.

See also departments responsible for labour and employment matters and related bodies,

For papers relating to the recruitment of medical personnel see MH 58

• Ministry of Health, 1919-1968
• Ministry of Labour and National Service, Military Recruitment Department, 1939-1959

Under the Military Training Act 1939 conscripts for military or other service underwent medical examination and were graded according to their fitness for service. These examinations were conducted by National Service Medical Boards, administered by the Military Recruitment Department of the Ministry of Labour and National Service with the assistance of the Ministry of Health.

On the outbreak of war in September 1939, the Medical Boards' responsibilities were enlarged to include both conscripts called for service under the National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939 and volunteers. These responsibilities included conscripts who adopted the option of serving as coalminers.