William John Smith - CQMS, Royal Defence Corps

[Phil Wood]

William John Smith - CQMS, Royal Defence Corps (10762, formerly 4268 4th Bn R Berks National Reserve).

 

He served through the war, mainly in 263 Protection Company and was discharged in 1919 (medical category BII). Sadly his record has no medical records.

 

He died in July 1920 and his widow was awarded an army pension of 26/8 with 17/6d allowance for two of their children - presumably those under a certain age (16?).

 

The pension was granted under 'Warrant and Artilcle' 1919 Art. 11 & 12 (see picture).

 

To me it seems obvious that the army, at the time, accepted that his cause of death was related to his service - why else grant a pension to the widow of a discharged man?  However, it might strengthen the case to know what  1919 Art 11 & 12 refers to.  Any ideas? 

 

 

Edited 12 August , 2017 by Phil Wood

[Phil Evans]

Phil,

 

Try Ron's response in post #4 of this thread.

 

Phil

[Phil Wood]

Thanks Phil - spot on - almost!

 

The problem is the sums involved. Jones' widow is give a weekly pension of 26/8 and 17/6 for two children under 16.

 

Ron's excellent info gives lower figures: 18/9 & 11/8 for the children.

 

Ron is quoting a Royal Warrant of 1918 - I'm guessing it was updated and the sums increased in 1919.

 

TNA has a copy - http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C205105 - which I can check out next time I'm there; meanwhile back to Google!

 

Phil

[Phil Wood]

Okay, Google has helped (http://www.theodora.com/encyclopedia/p/pensions_ministry.html).

 

The following figures may be quoted from the Warrant of 1919:

..

..

(2) Widows: Childless 20s. (+ 6s. 8d. if aged 40).

With one child. ... 36s. 8d.

With two children. .. 44s. 2d.

For each additional child. ... 6s. Although the assessment of disablement is a purely medical matter, the question of entitlement (i.e. whether due to war service) is decided by medical and lay opinion combined. The claimant has an appeal against the assessment of a medical board to a medical appeal tribunal; he may similarly appeal against refusal of entitlement to one of eleven statutory pensions appeal tribunals set up under the 1919 Act. These are appointed by the Lord Chancellor and are independent of the Ministry of Pensions.

 

Which gives a widows pension of 26/8 (Mr & Mrs Jones were over 40) plus 17/6 for the youngest two children makes 44s 2d.

 

Spot on!  Amazing how it helps to search if you have a little more idea of what you're looking for. I suspect I might still need the precise 1919 wording to convince the CWGC, but combining this with Ron's 1918 warrant details and I can see that it is well worth pursuing.

 

Thanks again Phil - and Ron!

[PaulC78]

Can anyone find the service record for this man? I've searched Ancestry and FMP using both service numbers but haven't found any records.

[PRC]

10 hours ago, PaulC78 said:

Can anyone find the service record for this man? I've searched Ancestry and FMP using both service numbers but haven't found any records.

The only service record I can find on FindMyPast for a 10762 Royal Defence Corps is a William John Jones, not Smith. He "too" was a CQMS with 263 Protection Company.

The Pension award page and the amounts of the pension look very, very familiar

Image courtesy FindMyPast

Can't see him on CWGC - well at least not under his Royal Defence Corps service number.

Link to the records on FMP https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBM%2FWO363-4%2F7384518%2F30%2F733

Cheers,
Peter

 

[PaulC78]

Cheers Peter - I wonder where Phil got "Smith" from?

Demobilised 5/6/1919, died 23/7/1920 from aneurism of aorta. No record of disability though.