Sickness,injuries and discharge on compassionat grounds.

[shaner13]

Hi
How fine was the line when injured or ill from
permenant discharge
returned back to battle front
or posted to reserve (home) battalions?
I ask because my g grandfather fractured his knee cartlidge in ypres feb1916,this dodgy knee had first played up whilst training in france 1915.
He was sent home and placed in a young soldiers battalion ,he was no spring chicken though!
The knee gave way again in 1917 and he was hospitalised at cannock chase.
However i have heard of soldiers with life threatening injuries back in the line quite quickly.
His wife then died of spanish flu 2 weeks after the war ended,leaving 2 children,but it seems he stayed in the army at clipstone camp till march 1919.Would he have been given the option to leave on compassionate grounds?

shane 

[DeeBoneham]

Hi Shaner
It depended on the casualty clearing station, the hospital he ended up in behind the lines and then the hospital back in the UK and the doctors staffing them.  They would have tested his range of movement and ability to use the limb to decide. 
It may be that because he was not suitable for front line use but an experienced soldier they may have used him as a trainer on a Young Soldiers Battalion (there were 14 in `9`7) see Training Battalions on http://www.warpath.orbat.com/armyinfo.htm
Given the tempo of training he may have been given a few days off but it is unlikely he would be given more even on compassionate grounds.  In those days the families were expected to take up looking after the children.  This would also be why he wasnt demobbed quickly as they would have waited till they were sure the war wasnt going to restart and to finish training whoever they were doing at the time.
Hope this helps.

[shaner13]

Thanks.
Great link too.In his final medical the doctor put his knee at 20% disability and commented ...knee locks at times,but no swelling at moment.
I think he was a lucky man to get off western front when he did,the day he injured his knee in the trenches at ypres,his battalion were suffering freezing conditions,heavy snow falls and even heavier constant shellings!!

many thanks
shane

[DeeBoneham]

I reckon you are right.  Back room boys doing training were important to the army so he can be proud to be still in uniform and helping to shape the army of the future.
Dee