pension eligibility

[ALCTay]

Hi, does anyone know if a widow and dependent would have been granted a pension if the husband in 1919 died AFTER being discharged, death unrelated to service?

I know the pension was awarded (form shown below) but I don't know whether he was discharged or not... yes I know it says discharged on the top of the form but that could mean the pension request.

Thanks

Amanda

[themonsstar]

This research guide is mostly about Army pensions, as the greatest number of casualties was borne by the Army. However, the sections on record series PIN 26 and PIN 82cover pensions for the other services, merchant navy and nurses, as well as the army. Pensions were granted for service in World War I, and widows were able to claim even if their husbands had died many years after 1918.

The Office of the Paymaster General was responsible for all service pay and pensions, until the establishment of the Ministry of Pensions in 1916, when responsibility was divided. For more information, see the The National Archives Current Guide, Part 1, 417/1/2. The Paymaster General's records (PMG) normally relate to officers only.

The Ministry of Pensions administered various war pension and allowance schemes in the United Kingdom and Overseas. Useful administrative records in this series include PIN 15/277, PIN 15/278, PIN 15/279, service and disability pension for those with over 14 years of service, 1917-1927; and PIN 15/570-589, entitlement to pension, 1916-1930.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/first-world-war-pensions.htm

[Terry_Reeves]

Amanda

You will need to get hold of copies of the 1918 and 1919 Pay Warrants and see what articles 11 and 12 have to say, as noted on the form. This should give you the conditions under which the pension was awarded. However, for the widow to have received a pension, her husband must have died from a medical condition attributable his military service, of from an existing condition which was aggravated by the same. This would have made her eligible, even though he died after his discharge.

TR

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Amanda

Here are the relevant sections of the Royal Warrant of 17 April 1918:

11. The widow of a soldier who is [a] killed while in performance of military duty during the present war, or dies as a result of wounds or injuries received in the performance of such duty within seven years of receiving such wounds or injuries, or [c] dies of disease certified as contracted or commencing while on active service during the present war, or as having been aggravated by active service, within seven years, of his removal from duty on account of such disease, may, provided that the soldier's death has not been caused by his serious negligenceor misconduct, be granted a widow's pension at the following weekly rates:

Widow of WO Class I 21s 3d

Widow of WO Class II or NCO Class I 18s 9d

Widow of NCO Class II 17s 6d

Widow of NCO Class III 16s 3d

Widow of NCO Class IV 15s 0d

Widow of private, &c 13s 9d.

The pension granted to the widow of a soldier who held paid acting rank at the time he was killed or was removed from duty owing to wopunds, injuries, or disease,from which he subsequently died, may be at the rate appropriate to that rank.

12. A widow pensioned under Article 11 of this Our Warrant may be granted an allowance at the following weekly rates for each child under 16 maintained by her:

For a first child 6s 8d

For a second child 5s 0d

For each child after the second 4s 2d

The provisions for the grant or continuation of this allowance beyond the agev of 16, for its administration to secure the proper maintenance of the child, and for its reduction to which the parent is relieved of the charge of the child shall be as set forth in subsections (2), (3) and (4) of Article 2 of this Our Warrant.

(Artcle 2 refers to child allowances paid to disabled soldiers.)

Ron

[ALCTay]

Thank you all so much, you've been unbelievably helpful.

Amanda