pension after war injuries?

[Guest louise]

a few months ago I posted about my search for information on my great uncle, Joseph Henry Scott, (aka Timothy Hadley) MGC private 114315. His story is convoluted and a big puzzle, and many people here were very generous with their time and knowledge. Unfortunately, we didn't come up with any new information and I was told that his WWI records did not survive. I have a new question, however.

On his death certificate, he is shown as Joseph Henry Scott, private #114315 (pensioned), and in a letter sent to his sister in Canada (my grandmother) informing her of his death in March of 1929, it says that his widow will get an allowance, enough to live on. She died 4 +years later, on Christmas day, 1933.

We know that he died in the Queen's hospital, Frognal House, Sidcup, Kent, as a result of being exposed to gas in France. We know from a letter that he wrote from there that he spent some time in that hospital in 1926 which indicates that his health problems were of long duration. (by the way, he signed the letter "your ever loving brother Timothy" ... more name confusion.)

We also know that he was shot in the abdomen, and have a photo of him in uniform which shows two wound stripes (sorry, I know this is not the correct term). A family letter says he was shot at Passchendael, but we have no confirmation of this.

My question is this: What type of pension would he have been receiving? Is this type of pension extended to the widow? Would pension records have survived? (I guess that's more than one question - please forgive me!)

Tim (or Joseph Henry) is becoming a bit of an obsession for me. We can't seem to pin anything down where he is concerned. Can anyone offer any help or suggestions? Thank you.

[Christina]

Join the crowd. I have a grandfather Robert who is proving elusive. On Cwgc site his son Edwin J Tucker is listed as KIA but shows father John not Robert.

Regards

Christina

[Ed Matthews]

Hi Louise

Try the following:

War Pensions Agency

Room 2009

Prudential House

Topping St

Blackpool

FY1 3AX

This address dates back to 1994 but it's worth a try. Incidentally, I was engaged in researching a soldier who, in similar circumstances to your relative, died from wounds after being discharged from the Army. The War Pensions Agency were able to confirm his date of death but had no further records; however, I would still say it's worth a try as they do hold records for War Pensions for this period. They are a little slow so keep pestering them!

Similarly, I am aware of a number of records at the PRO, Kew relating to different 'classes' of injury - medical notes, etc. I will try and dig out the reference for you. Might be worth engaging a researcher to look at these as well.

Hope this helps.

Best wishes

Ed

[Guest louise]

Hi Ed

Thanks for your reply. I will definitely follow up on your suggestion. This is a new avenue for me to try.

If you could find the reference to the records re: injuries, that would be wonderful. The only information we have about his wounds is anecdotal, althought the fact that he died of lung problems in a hospital used only for facial reconstruction surgery and victims of gas attacks, we have some pretty good certainty about at least one of his wounds!

Thank you so much for offering to help.

[Guest mintydog]

A piece of useless anecdotal information. My father, who saw service at Gallipoli (1/3rd East Anglian Field Ambulance) worked for the Ministry of Pensions after the Great War. He related the case of a man who had lost part of his right leg from below the knee during the war and was receiving a war pension for it. The unfortunate man fell under a tram and ended up losing more of his right leg from above the knee. The pension was stopped as the Ministry decided that the part they were paying for was no longer in existence! Land fit for heroes?

[ypresman]

Further to this discussion, as I have also researched this, the people who dealt with this were the Ministry Of Pensions, London Region, Burton Court, Chelsea, S.W.3. However, this was dated back in 1924.

It also states ' In cases of disability, aggravated but not directly caused by services in the war, any pension awarded in respect of such disability will be discontinued, if and when on re-examination it is certified that the effects of aggravation by service have passed away.

Any appeal against the decision that any of your disabilities:-

(1) is not attributable to or aggrivated by service,

or (2) is due to serious neglligence or misconduct,

or (3) is aggravated by but not attributable to service

or against a decision of aggravation passed away,

must be lodged with your Chief Area Officer within 12 months of the date of the first notification of the decision in question, in accordance with section 6 (1) of the War Pensions Act, 1921'

So basically welcome home boys, but don't expect to much then.....

[Simon Furnell]

Hello Louise.

From what i have read,the pensions office can be of use,when researching WW1 soldiers.

MGC records were largely destroyed during WW2,hence the problem with researching it.

I am lucky,in the respect that my Great-grandads,MGC,record,seems to have survived,although i have never seen it.

His Number was 73313,and he joined the MGC,sometime in 1916.

I have a book called"More Sources of WW1 Army Ancestry",by Norman Holding.

In the chapter on Regimental Numbering,he says that by April,1916,MGC numbering had reached 32,750,and then increased by about the rate of about 100 per day until September of that year.

The amount of men,going into the Corps got a little hectic after this,and numbers had reached 180,000,by September,1917,more fire power being needed on the Western Front.

With his Number,he could have been at Passchendaele.

My Great-aunt,who never knew her Dad,told me that he had been at 3rd Ypres,so her Mum had said.

It turned out to be true.

The MGC Old Comrades Association,is still up and running,as far as i know,so they may be of help,and i believe there is another group,researching the MGC at the moment.

If a pension was still being payed,15 years after the war,that must up the odds.

Good hunting.

All the best.

Simon Furnell.