Robin,
I'm no master on pensions but my g-grandfather was discharged from the army
to pension after WWI due to ill health (malaria). I don't know how many
soldiers were given pensions, whether or not it was just those who were
injured/ in bad health or who were killed leaving dependants. I don't think
all soldiers automatically got them.
I obtained my g-grandfather's army pension records from the Public Record
Office where they are kept. HOWEVER: I understand that the PRO has only kept
a 2% sample of the WWI pension records which his was one of. There is an
index by surname in the PRO. I discovered the existence of my
g-grandfather's pension records after searching the PRO catalogue online
http://catalogue.pro.gov.uk/ for his surname. I don't know how complete this
online catalogue is though. It could be tricky to ascertain that a person
found on this catalogue is the person you're after as all you are likely to
get of use are his surname and intials. For me this was enough as I knew he
was the only person in the country with those initials & surname.
The PRO website
www.pro.gov.uk has a leaflet about pensions online which is
worth reading
(
http://catalogue.pro.gov.uk/ExternalRequest.asp?RequestReference=ri2015).
So answering your questions:
1) Search the PRO online catalogue, address above. Pension records tend to
be under the 'PIN' category. If you found your g-grandfather listed you
should be able to ring/email the PRO with the full reference no. and for a
fee ask them to copy the records & post them to you.
2) The info in what I got (13+ documents) included a list of his children
with their DOBs & wife with marriage date. His rank/regtl no./regt was
noted, army discharge date, his home address, pension allowance, subsequent
changes to his pension allowance, pension expiry date and doctors notes
(within which was his year of birth).
3) If you were to order copies from the PRO there is a page on their website
detailing photocopying costs.
4) You may be able to apply for it on the internet via email if you can find
your g-grandfather in the PRO catalogue. Certainly in my case I could have.
In my case the pension started in 1919 and finished in 1920 when it looks
like his health had improved enough to get back to work. He died in 1959 so
he didn't have the pension all his life. Hope this is of some use to you.
All the best,
Matt Jacomb
Lancashire, UK
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robin POWER" <robinpower_48(a)hotmail.com>
To: <BlaenauGwent-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2003 7:52 AM
Subject: [Bla'Gwent] WW1 Army Pensions
could somebody please give me some information on obtaining information on
my great grandfather Patrick POWER's WW1 Army Pension.
1) How do I obtain it?
2) What information does it contain?
3) Cost involved.
4) Can I apply for it on the internet?
I have been unable to find his birth certificate, as the age on his
marriage
certificate conflicts with the age he joined the army (no luck with
either
year). I am hoping that by applying for his pension record, it will at
least
give me the address it was sent to and the year it ceased, thereby
giving
me
his place and date (or at least year) of death.
Will this help me?
I thank you in anticipation
Regards
Robin (Newcastle, Australia)
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