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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: pagen on Monday 07 September 09 08:05 BST (UK)

Title: WWI Pension Records Benjamin Parkes
Post by: pagen on Monday 07 September 09 08:05 BST (UK)
Hi

I wonder if anyone could help me? this morning iv found my great grand farthers Pension Records and i was wondering if anyone could explain some of it to me? as im not to good with reading old wrinting? also is there any more info i can get from his Regimental or chelsea Number? iv attached the Pension Records to this post. any info anyone could give me would be great

Thanks
Title: Re: WWI Pension Records Benjamin Parkes
Post by: km1971 on Monday 07 September 09 10:08 BST (UK)
He was attached to the 9th Battalion of the Training Reserve -
http://www.1914-1918.net/training_reserve.htm. If you follow the link to the 11th Bn South Staffs Regiment you see they were based in Rugeley. There doesn’t appear to be a medal index card for him, so he would not have been posted abroad. I am surprise there isn’t a card for the issue of a Silver War Badge, as been discharged during the war without one could have led him to be presented with a white feather. I have one for a man discharged after hurting himself playing football while training in England.

As you don’t have his South Staffs number you will find it hard to discover when he enlisted. Although it would be worth checking Ancestry again in a few months as his service record may have survived WW2 bombing. They have only published up to the Ns at present, and some men will appear in both. You should also click on Labour Corps on the left of the above link. A LC expert on the Great War Forum may be able to tell you when he was transferred to the LC from the South Staffs from his number.

Can you say which bits you cannot read.

Ken
Title: Re: WWI Pension Records Benjamin Parkes
Post by: pagen on Monday 07 September 09 10:25 BST (UK)
Hi ken

Thanks for the info, it great! im trying to find out more about his accident so if you could translate (statement of case) and what is (his present condition). i may be able to find more about the accident if i know what is said?
Thanks
Title: Re: WWI Pension Records Benjamin Parkes
Post by: ainslie on Monday 07 September 09 11:47 BST (UK)
The date of enlistment is shown on form AF B179 - "enlisted 8th March 1915 at Lichfield".
Title: Re: WWI Pension Records Benjamin Parkes
Post by: ainslie on Monday 07 September 09 11:59 BST (UK)
"Present condition - left hand  - ring finger and two terminal phalanges of middle finger are missing. Has been under treatment frequently for bronchitis.  Expiration is slightly prolonged and an occasional dry [?] is heard.
Statement of case:
9: about 22 years ago
10: Sandwell Colliery West Bromich [sic]
11: states that while at work his left hand was caught by a chain and pulled into a block and injured.  The ring finger and the two terminal phalanges of the middle finger were amputated. He has frequent attacks of bronchitis.
12: cause (a) accident above described  (b) not so caused."

This looks like a clear case of a much earlier industrial accident, probably quite normal for those rough days in the collieries.
Title: Re: WWI Pension Records Benjamin Parkes
Post by: pagen on Monday 07 September 09 12:50 BST (UK)
thanks ainslie
Thats great  ;D .
Now that i know he enlisted the 8th March 1915 at Lichfield, is there anyway i can use that to get more info? and do you think i could find any info about his accident by looking through the papers?
Thanks simon
Title: Re: WWI Pension Records Benjamin Parkes
Post by: ainslie on Monday 07 September 09 13:58 BST (UK)
I suspect that accidents of that kind might have been too common for reporters/ editors to be interested, but you never know.  If you have the patience, a newspaper search might produce something, but 'about 22 years ago' gives a wide field of searching, especially if, like me, you suffer from sea-sickness when scrolling microfilm!  If you are really lucky you may find that some angel has indexed the newspaper, but how rare is that?
A
Title: Re: WWI Pension Records Benjamin Parkes
Post by: pagen on Monday 07 September 09 14:06 BST (UK)
ok il see what i can find,

Thanks for your help