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Remembered Today:

Death Plaques for those who died after the war?


Captain White

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Question; Is anyone aware of an award for a Death Plaque for a servicemen who died after the war and as a result of that war?

 

I understand that Death Plaques continued to be issued well into the 1930's so there does appear to be many that died from wounds suffered during WWI. My great grandfather, Alfred Charles Beauchamp, 30552, 13th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, was caught in a gas attack on the Somme in Jan 1917 but he survived. Sadly the effects of that attack took their toll and it ruined his health, he died as a result of that attack in December 1924.

 

His medals have been long since been lost and I have no idea if a Death Plaque was issued for him but could one have been claimed after 1924?

 

If I cannot locate his medals by the end of the year then I will have to seek replacements and that could include a Death Plaque but I need to be sure if Alfred was so entitled.

 

Thank you! 

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The qualification date for the Memorial Scroll and Plaque for Home Establishments and F & F are 4th August 1914 to 10th January 1920 and for other theatres 30th April 1920.

 

That said there are examples of the items being sent to next of kin for bereavement in the 1920s if the death was attributable to War Service

two examples are here

 

Difficult to assess how many 'late issues' there were as there are no records.  A death would need to recorded as attributable to war service.

 

The main difficulty encountered by the authorities was tracing the next of kin, and many remained unclaimed https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/first-world-war-next-of-kin-plaque

 

Ken

 

 

 

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It might be an exception but Beatrice Hermione Vidal died 15th September 1923 and a memorial plaque was issued to her daughter. It currently resides in the Royal Military College, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

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Thank you for the above replies, helps a lot! :thumbsup: The evidence does strongly suggest that they were issued as a result of wounds sustained during WWI. A lot appeared to depend on the surviving spouse/parents applying for the Plaque and if they could prove the death was war related. Alfred's wife Ethel Beauchamp (Nee Beaumont) remarried later to Ernest Charles Nathaniel Harris, who also served in WWI but even here there are no surviving medals so I doubt if my great grandmother ever applied for the plaque.

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A minor point but when first issued relatives of other ranks were told not to apply for the plaque, however there are frequent references in the newspapers as to unclaimed plaques which seem to have been held by the Regimental Depot and for those next of kin who had not received the plaque to make application there.  The administration of the plaques was undertaken by the Ministry of Pensions so the death of a soldier who was in receipt of a war related pension would be acknowledged.  

Whether or not a plaque was issued in those circumstances I don't know.  Acknowledging the sentiment behind the Memorial Scroll and Plaque a hundred years on the issue does seem a bit hit and miss.

 

Ken

 

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Interestingly, Some of those recorded by plaques and scrolls were not eligible for service medals, for instance, those who did not serve overseas but who died in service through accident or illness. Deaths in the period 1919–1921 (possibly later) could still lead to the presentation of a plaque, if either still in service (and even from natural causes), or the death was accepted as war-related. It is thought that many British and Empire war dead had no plaques and scrolls issued, due to the inability by 1919–20 to trace addresses for the eligible next of kin – a result of the high incidence of short-term rented addresses, re-marriage, and that, if they died unmarried with parents dead, there might be no dependants claiming a pension.

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