Does this mean he was a Chelsea Pensioner ?

[The Guardroom]

Found the following relative's recordswho was in the Home service Garrison of the East Kent Regiment between 1914 - 1917.

James P Broster was an old soldier who served in the 1st RSF between 1973 and 1885, so it appears that when war came in 1914, he volunteered at the age of 52.

Was this usual for old soldiers to offer their service at such an early time ?

His first posting was to the Depot in Canterbury and then to the 1st Home Service Garrison Bn, where ever they were ?

He was later discharged in Feb 1917 due to being pysically unfit para 392. XVI.

In the papers it has many pension documents, including a couple from Chelsea Hospital mentioning a decisions on his case and another mentioning him a Pensioner J Broster late E. Kents Regt.

These are all dated Oct 1917. Do these mean he was seeking to entre the hospital as a Pensioner and was successful ? He later died on teh 22nd August 1920.

Further papers seem to show his wife trying to claim death pension in service as a result of the war, but these are declined.

Any info helpful.

Thanks Alan.

[stevem49]

Chelsea pensioners are both - In - living there, and - Out - living in their own home. I think he would have had to be 65 to be an in-pensioner.

I am an - Out - pensioner until age 65 when I can go - In. You also have to be single or widower.

Steve M

[centurion]

Found the following relative's recordswho was in the Home service Garrison of the East Kent Regiment between 1914 - 1917.

James P Broster was an old soldier who served in the 1st RSF between 1973 and 1885, so it appears that when war came in 1914, he volunteered at the age of 52.

Was this usual for old soldiers to offer their service at such an early time ?

Other than him appearing to be an early version of Benjamin Button and living backwards in time, not that unusual. Many old soldiers, including some Zulu War veterans, rallied to the colors (and not just in Britain). A few were sadly of the Corporal Jones variety but many gave service training new recruits, possibly having helped recruit them first. In the Australian army many were recruited into remount service so at least one man who had been in the charge at Omdurman saw active service in WW1

[centurion]

Just to expand the point the following men served in both the Zulu war and WW1

Lance Sergeant Evan Jones (B co RD)

Private John Williams(Fielding) V.C. (RD)

Sergeant William Blount KSLI D 1915

Cpl John Lyons (Rec Officer) (RD)

Sgt. FA Millne (RD)

Brig General W Scott- Montcrieff, KIA Galipolli 1915

Lt Gen S H Lomax, DOW 1915

Admiral Archibald Berkeley Milne

Sergeant Major Charles Livesay ANZAC fought at Somme

1184 Private Thomas Buckley, (B Coy RD) Imperial Light Horse RFC/RAF

William Williams (RD) Mule skinner WW1 GSW

General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien

Lt WL Davidson RHA Died on Active Service 1915

3664 Cpl George Paul 1st AIF 4th Tunnelling Company