Army pensions - Ancestry

crayspond · Post by **crayspond** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:14 am

Could anyone who has access to Ancestry have a look at the Pension Records since i hear they have now gone online.

Pension Records

We are trying to find out information related to my husbands grandfather John Purcell born 26/06/1902 in Hutchesontown in Glasgow (DOB 16.6.02) who served in WWI with the 1st Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).

He would have been under age when he joined up - aged 14 or 15 in 1916.

To confuse matters his father, also called John Purcell, may also have served in the same unit. John James Purcell senior DOB is 03.04.1873 born Hutchesontown in Glasgow and DOD 06.01.1928 so in 1914 to 1918 he would have been about 41 - 45 years.

As you can see from below it is confusing as both of them served. Also they both were receiving pensions when they died!

John Purcell Junior died in 1970.

Thanks

Ailsa

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:27 am

Hi Ailsa
If you have a few things to look at on Ancestry, it might be worth your while to take out a short "pay-per-view" subscription. See:
http://www.ancestry.co.uk/subscribe/sig ... &TargetId=
12 record views for 14 days for only £6.95
I've done this a few times when I've needed to see things which Ancestry has.

Best wishes
Lesley

Maisie · Post by **Maisie** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:26 pm

Hi Ailsa

If your local library has public access computers they may also have a subscription to Ancestry and you can browse away for free!

Maisie

crayspond · Post by **crayspond** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 6:28 am

Hi Maisie,
I am living in Dubai at the moment but will be home in April for good so i will have a look in the library.

Lesley B
Thanks for the info on Ancestry - i never knew you could have 12 record views for 6.95 - i will think carefully what i am looking for first!!

Ailsa

Ted · Post by **Ted** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:27 pm

Hi Ailsa

I had a look for you in the pension records on Ancestry - there are a few (about a dozen) John Purcells - but no trace of either of yours. They would only be there if they had been wounded and claimed a pension. Since you know the regiment you might get further info from Medal Index cards at National Archives and from there you might get someone on GWF to look up for you to see if their service records are at Kew.

Good luck

Ted

Ted · Post by **Ted** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:35 pm

Hi Again

This might be one of yours:-

Medal card of Purcell, John
Corps: Scottish Rifles
Regiment No: 52699
Rank: Private...

He is the only one in Scottish Rifles on Medal Index.

Ted

crayspond · Post by **crayspond** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 6:39 am

Hi Ted,

Thanks very much for looking at the Purcells on ancestry for me.

On John Purcell Snr's death cert it says army pensioner under his name. Does this mean he would have been injured and receiving a pension?

Regards

Ailsa

Ted · Post by **Ted** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 9:07 am

Hi Ailsa

He could well have been wounded and in receipt of a pension - the army service records available are far from complete. The majority of the WW1 records (around 70%) were destroyed during the blitz in WW2. It could also be that John Snr had pensionable service before WW1 - if so there may be records at Kew.

You can't seach on line but can either get someone to physically search at Kew on your behalf or request a quote from Kew to have them do it for you - but that can be expensive. 1st port of call may be to buy the medal index card on-line from NA - costs £3.50 - they have fairly limited info but it is a starting point.

Hope this helps

Ted

Chris Paton · Post by **Chris Paton** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 12:01 pm

It should be noted that the online records at Ancestry are also incomplete. The "Unburnt" records series has been fully uploaded, but the "Burnt" record series is still going up, so it may be worth checking again in the near future.

Chris

Chris Paton · Post by **Chris Paton** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:05 pm

Ted wrote:Hi Again

This might be one of yours:-

Medal card of Purcell, John
Corps: Scottish Rifles
Regiment No: 52699
Rank: Private...

He is the only one in Scottish Rifles on Medal Index.

Ted

The medal index cards are now also online in full colour at Ancestry, as of today - I've had a quick look, and this John Purcell was in the Scottish Rifles and also the Labour Corps. He was awarded both the Victory Medal and the British medal. His service number in the SR was 52699, and in the Labour Corps was 634984.

There are four John James Purcells, but none in a Scots regiment. A John J Purcell is listed in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, the Labour Corps and the Royal Fusiliers, and he was awarded the same medals. Many other John J Purcells as well.

Chris