Pension Medical Assessments

[MJROB]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone have any information on where pension officials assessed disabled Great War veterans as to their claim for a pension and/or their need for treatment? I've just read some of the Ministry of Pensions' annual reports but it appears a fairly convoluted system, and I'm still not 100% clear on the issue. Maybe I'm over-thinking it but if you have any thoughts then I'd be glad to hear it.

Kindest regards,
MJROB

[seaJane]

If it was discussed in Parliament you may find something in Hansard's online archive:

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/sittings/1910s

sJ

[MaureenE]

The actual medical assessment was not carried out by pension officials but by members of an Army Medical Board.

Pages 24-25 War pensions and allowances by J. M. Hogge and T. H. Garside 1918 Archive.org

https://archive.org/stream/thewarpensionsallow00hoggrich#page/24/mode/2up/

Prior to WW1, I think all the assessments were made at Netley Hospital, which was a military hospital.

( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netley_Hospital ) However, during WW1, due to the large number of assessments occurring, I suspect there would be Boards regionally based near major hospitals, but I do not have specific knowledge of this.

"Palace of pain: Netley, the hospital built for an empire of soldiers" by Philip Hoare 21 August 2014 theguardian.

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/aug/21/royal-victoria-hospital-netley-ww1-first-world-war-photographs-documentary-philip-hoare Also click on “In pictures: see our gallery of Netley in the first world war”

Cheers

Maureen

[TEW]

I have a few Pin26 records. One shows a man who had been ordered to attend a MB July 1919 but wrote in saying he couldn't make it as he couldn't walk. He was either in Torquay or Devonport at the time and was supposed to attend at Room 3, Adastral House, Blackfriars.

Another RE man who also couldn't make it from Wolverhampton to the 'Pension Medical Board RE225 in Oxford' Dec 1920. His 'Renewal or revision of Award' sheet for the one he did manage to get to in Jan 1921 makes no mention of where it took place.

The locations for these are only known because they couldn't make it and had to write to explain why they weren't coming, their letters are in their file.

TEW

[dand]

Hi MJROB

 

The following information on my grandfathers pension claim review may be of  some assistance. 

 

According to my GF John Bryant 1/1 hvy battery Kent RGA Pension records, he was assessed by an Army medical Board at the Reading War Hospital in March 1920 ( his wounds included bayonet wound chest - punctured lung, GSW wounds to back and left calf muscle loss with a open tibia bone cavity,. He was wounded 23.3.1918 at Echiet le grand ). Mention is made of this hospital being in the Eastern region and that copies of discharge documents were sent to the RGA TF records registry. Its worth noting that the document medical record on a soldier boarded prior to discharge is stamped G. A  Record office Dover. Also of interest is that the records contain a statement by soldier concerning his own case. He was discharged 23.3.1920  and that his disability was no longer permanent and likely to last 6 months. (I have no comment in respect to this statement)

[gpashe]

My grandfather attended several Medical Boards in Dublin - after 4 years there was a Final Board which determined the final pension that would apply either for duration of illness or for the life of the pensioner

[TEW]

Bit late to add here but I've just found on Findmypast an Army Form W. 3457. Nominal Roll of Men to Appear before Travelling Medical Board.

 

TEW

[KONDOA]

For all the men of my study area, medical assessment was carried out in the field after the Armistice. Anyone with more severe conditions attended home based services for further assessment and treatment.

 

Roop

Edited 10 October , 2017 by KONDOA