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From Military Service Act - 27th January 1916.

On 27th January, 1916, the Military Service act became law, ever man between the ages of 18 and 41, if unmarried, was 'deemed to have enlisted'. On 25th May, married men were 'deemed' to have done the same. The following categories were established:

• A: General Service.
• B1: Garrison Service Abroad.
• B2: Labour Service Abroad.
• B3: Sedentary Work Abroad.
• C1: Garrison Service at Home Camps.
• C2: Labour Service at Home Camps.
• C3: Sedentary Service at Home Camps.

The Official History records the physical standards defining each category:

• A: Able to march, see to shoot, hear well and stand active service conditions.
• B: Free from serious organic diseases, able to stand service on the lines of communication in France, or in garrisons in the tropics.
• B1: Able to march five miles, and see to shoot with glasses and hear well.
• B2: Able to walk five miles to and from work, see and hear sufficiently for ordinary purposes.
• B3: Only suitable for sedentary work.
• C: Free from serious organic disease, able to stand service conditions in garrison at home.

In contemporary usage, a 'Category Man' was anyone assigned to a category below 'A'.