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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Missing in Action


Guest mruk

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Short and sweet. Could anyone tell me please whether wives and families still received a form of allowance when their husbands had been reported Missing in Action? Or did any allowance automatically stop?

Many Thanks,

Dave

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Can't answer for WW1, but in 1944 when my brother was reported missing,my mother,a widow,continued to receive the allowance that he was making.This was for three months only but just short of that period we heard a POW card from him read out on German radio and this was accepted that he was still alive and the payment continued.He finally walked through the door a week after VE Day for the first time since 1940.

Les

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Many Thanks for this, Les

It's just that I'm looking at pension records on Ancestry UK, and I got to thinking whether monies would still be awarded or not. I've not come across any yet, and I think applications were made postwar for those killed, though I'm not sure how to search for the Missing or POWs who's wives might have been entitled. That's if they are held on Ancestry. I'll have another fiddle around.

Cheers,

Dave

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A widower was entitled to claim Separation Allowance for legitimate children (at the motherless rate) and also for the person having care of those children 'if such person was actually dependent on him.

Based on that, If a widower was entitled to serparation allowance I would guess that a wife was entitled to that separation allowance whilst a husband was still missing.

Chris Henschke

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Many Thanks, Chris

This is not a topic I've really gone into, and It's becoming a little more clear, but what I can't understand is why the widow was entitled to SA for her children at the motherless rate. Does your source offer any more information?

Kind Regards,

Dave

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Dave,

I have two pamphlets, both dated 4th December, 1917.

One is called 'Separation allowance for dependants of soldiers' and the other is for wives and children of soldiers and details the weekly rates of separation allowance.

PM me and I can email you some images of both if it helps.

Chris Henschke

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