Medical Boards on Soldiers

There has always been discrimination in the world, between individuals, communities, states, and even countries. This was particularly apparent during the time of World War I in England. Even though men were needed on the battlefields, medical exams prevented many from entering combat. Tests, such as eye exams, kept many men that rely on glasses out of battle. This was done because it was feared that these men would lose their glasses and become a danger, not only to themselves, but also to those around them. This was the problem for John Kipling, the main character of My Boy Jack, a film directed by Brian Kirk. Like the many others who tried to join the war effort, both the Army and the Navy medical boards turned John away because of his disability. After John’s father pulled some strings and got John into the Irish guard, he made both boards look foolish. John Kipling proved that despite his disability he was truly a good soldier and both the Army and the Navy boards were wrong to reject him.

It’s not to say that John had a simple journey, for in the beginning it seemed as though the boards were correct about him. At first, while training with the Irish guard, John found that his glasses were a problem and slowed him down. The officers around him also recognized this and made sure to point out that they knew, as one of the officers yelled at John, “This is no time for personal equipment, Kipling.” This line was important in showing the struggle John had with his glasses, as they slowed him down every time he needed to adjust them. John again had problems with his glasses while lying down and trying to shoot at a target in the rain. His first problem was the water that would gather on his glasses. The second problem came from th...

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...his was truly a triumph and success for John.

Like many of the allied soldiers in the early days of World War I, John, along with most of his platoon, was shot down on the battlefield. His death does not take away from the fact that he was a good soldier. In fact, John proved he was a great soldier, and an even better leader. John did what he had to do to make himself an asset on the battlefield, and he was rewarded for doing so with a promotion. He treated his promotion with great honor as he trained a platoon every bit as strong as the ones before and after them. When all was over, John proved both the Army and the Navy medical boards wrong, for he was not merely a great soldier, but an honorable soldier, and a successful officer.

Works Cited

My Boy Jack. Dir. Brian Kirk. Perf. David Haig, Daniel Radcliffe,

Kim Cattrall, and Carey Mulligan. ITV1, 2007. Film.