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98. From April, 1944, to YJ Day first appeals were determined in the case of youths attaining military age, together with some appeals still arising out of earlier ballots. In the main, however, Armed Forces Appeal Boards were concerned with the review of .appeals previously adjourned sine die. During the year ended 31st March, 1945, Armed Forces Appeal Boards heard 30,01*2 appeals (on all grounds) against military service. The outstanding feature of this period was the comb-out of Category " A " men to replace long-service personnel. In the first quarter of 1945 the needs of the Second Division replacement scheme resulted in the outright dismissal or withdrawal of 2,576 appeals and the dismissal subject only to a time condition of 2,316 appeals. 99. From December, 1945, to the end of the war Appeal Boards heard 4,567 first ■appeals and reviewed 24,113 cases. Following the cessation of hostilities in Europe on Bth May, 1945, the number of appeals heard in June and July (2,423) dwindled to a fifth of the total determined in the preceding two months (12,206). Armed Forces Appeal Board activity ceased almost immediately after the capitulation of Japan in August. 100. Table 8 of the Appendix shows the determinations made by Appeal Boards from April, 1944, to July, 1945. Tables 10 and 11 refer to men combed out of industry following the review of appeals or the first hearing of an appeal during the period Ist April, 1943, to 31st July, 1945. (iv) Men held under Appeal 101. The total number of men eligible for service, but held under appeal on industrial grounds as the result of Appeal Board action was progressively reduced from 41,617 in March, 1944, to 28,441 in February, 1945. By YJ Day (15th August, 1945) only 21,625 such men were held under appeal in industry. This decrease was due partly to the comb-out of men to replace long-service personnel and partly to the elimination of Grade I men outside the Category " A " group —i.e., the elimination of men other than Grade I men aged twenty-one to thirty-five inclusive with not more than two children. Table 9of the Appendix shows the industries in which men were held under appeal at VJ Day (15th August, 1945). 102. At the conclusion of hostilities Category " A " men who had been held under appeal on industrial grounds were directed to remain in the employment for which they had been withheld from military service. 103. Man-power Officers issued 13,019 directions to Category " A " men and took over the files of these men from Armed Forces Appeal Boards. (The obligations of the Category "A " men ceased as from the end of June, 1946.) (v) Activities of Man-power Officers 104. Throughout the war Man-power Officers co-operated with Armed Forces Appeal Boards in screening the enlistment of men called up for service and in sifting applications for release from the Forces. 105. With the opening of enlistment for the J Force in January, 1946, and for an Interim Air Force in the following month, it became necessary for Man-power Officers to screen enlistments in order to protect key industries. While the policy was to withhold as few applications as possible, it was necessary to screen the enlistment of skilled men in the moulding, sawmilling, and coal-mining industries and certain classes of employees in the Railways and the Post and Telegraph Departments. A very limited number of key workers in other industries were also screened. SECTION VI.—RELEASES FROM THE ARMED FORCES (i) The Withdrawal of Men from the Forces up to VJ Day 106. Until the spring of 1942 there was no significant release of man-power from the Forces. By this time, however, the peak of military mobilization to meet the threat of invasion had been achieved and the threat itself was receding. The spring of 1942, therefore, saw the commencement of a substantial release of man-power for industrial purposes. Up to the end of March, 1943, some 16,300 men were released from homedefence Forces as the result of Appeal Board and Man-power Office action.

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