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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Warwickshire => Topic started by: lammy rider on Monday 18 January 10 20:48 GMT (UK)
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I need some help please, I am trying to find my fathers ww1 pensions record. My father joined the army in 1914, Sidney Stokes Royal Army Medical Corps Reg. No. 34435. I have his medal roll which tells me he was discharged on 26th. Jan.1917. I have been told that although alot of records were destroyed in WW2 the pensions records were kept in another place and they survived but try as I may I just cannot find him.
Lammy Rider
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All the surviving records, whether "service" or "pension" are available either on Ancestry [pay to view - subscription] or at The National Archives at Kew, where they may be seen for free.
There are four hits on Ancestry for Sidney Stokes, but I have no way of telling if any relate to your man:
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gl=39&rank=1&new=1&so=3&MSAV=0&msT=1&gss=ms_f-39&gsfn=sidney&gsln=stokes&_81004240=1914&sbo=0
Hope that helps,
jds1949
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Thanks for the reply, unfortunaly I have the Ancestryrecords and I am afraid he is not there. I thought that all pension records were available but it seems not so. I think it may need a visit to Kew.
Sidney Stokes was born and lived in Birmingham.
Thanks
Lammy Rider :(
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A lot of records were lost during the blitz but all I know is 40% of the service records survived. However Pension Records may not have been affected, it doesn't say
This link seems to explain a bit more:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/firstworldwar/service_records/sr_soldiers.htm
:)
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Did everyone get a pension?
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Or did everyone apply for one even if entitled.
My grandfather was wounded during the 1st World War but after the war was able to return to the job he had had before the war.
He isn't listed in the pension records so I presume he never applied.
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The "Pension" records are simply those records that were with the Ministry of Pensions at the time when the Blitz saw the destruction of the bulk of the WW1 service records. After the war the War Office asked all departments who had relevant files on WW1 soldiers to send them back in an attempt to piece together at least some of what had been lost in the Blitz. As far as I am aware the only department that had any records was the Ministry of Pensions, who duly obliged and sent the records back.
As a result there were two sets of files, the so called "burnt records" - what was left after the fire and water damage - and the "Pension" records - the ones from the Ministry of Pensions. Both sets of records were made available to Ancestry to create the digitalised sets that are now on their website. If you go to Kew all that will happen is that you will be directed to a computer which is able to access Ancestry for free. I suppose if you really wanted to you could ask to see the original microfilmed records, but there wouldn't be a lot of point as all you would get was what was sent to Ancestry in the first place.
As far as entitlement to a pension is concerned the quick answer is that not everyone was eligible for a WW1 pension. If a man was wounded, gassed or suffered illness which was attributable to his war service then he was sent before a Medical Board. If, in their opinion, there was sufficient cause, then a pension would be set, usually a few shillings paid weekly. All of the ones that I have seen were time limited - that is they were awarded for a set period of time, usually 26 or 52 weeks, after which it was back in front of the Medical Board to see if the pension was still needed.
Hope that helps a bit,
jds1949
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It does help jds1949
I've looked at quite a few pension army records for close & distant relations. Most were turned down for a pension.
My granddad survived being wounded & gassed. He didn't suffer with the wounding but he did suffer with his lungs, on doctor's advice he gave up smoking & always wore a scarf.
During the war he was sent to recupirate at Uppingham where he met my grandmother.
He couldn't have thought he was entitled to an army pension & so never applied.
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Going back to Sidney Stokes did he work after returning from war?
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hello jds
I am new to this forum thing but by your replies about the army pension didn't all the persons who were in the army recieve a seperate pension after the war or in their old age ?
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As far as I am aware the only pensions which were awarded to men following WW1 service were disability pensions; if they survived the war and were physically fit then they were simply demobilised back into civilian life to cope as best they could. Widows were awarded a pension, as were other dependants, children and, in some cases, ailing parents. I don't think that any of the men who served in WW2 got pensions either. Of course, if and when those men reached the pensionable age of 65 then they would have qualified for the state pension, just as is the case now.
[Modified] I should add that men who were regulars and served their full time were, I think, given pensions. The whole process of demobilisation is very well described and explained here: http://www.1914-1918.net/demobilisation.htm
jds1949
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with ref. to Sidney Stokes, yes he did work until he died in 1955, and he received the pension until then. have had another look on Ancestry at the Kew records and still not there, got to think someone forgot to put his name on the records.
Lammy Rider :(
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Never mind perhaps he will show up.