Miss Ethel Jones

Army Council Instructions nos. 712-878
 See more
 Opens in a new window (44k)

Miss Ethel M. Jones was Nursing Sister in the Almeric Paget Military Massage Corps Although some of the members did serve abroad, it was not a requirement and Ethel spent her service time working at 21st Southern General Hospital, Dudley Road, Birmingham.

According to "Army Council Instructions Nos. 712 - 878", issued during May 1917, instruction no.779, Ethel would have been paid £3 a week if she had lived in her own accommodation or £2 14s. 6d. if she resided in public provided lodgings. She would have had to pay for her own fuel and light out of that sum.

She was also entitled to a uniform grant of £2, issued every six months. Anyone who left the corps within three months of a uniform payment being issued was required to repay £1.

She could also claim expenses for third class travel to and from her place of leave up to four times a year, provided she were in uniform when she travelled. This benefit was only available to women, and was "in no circumstances" extended to male masseurs. Her leave allowance was one week with full pay for every three months served and had to be taken within that three month period.

She would have had to "undergo a long course of training in [her] duties which are by no means of an unskilled character".

Her service was terminated in November 1917 "on account of a disability attributed to her military service". She applied for compensation in 1918 and was awarded a temporary military pension under the terms of the Royal Warrant of 1st August 1917 as her duties were regarded as similar to those of a member of Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service.

Detail from the letter from the Ministry of Pensions to the Treasury requesting guidance over future pension payments to Miss Ethel Smith  See more  Opens in a new window (52k)

Her pension was then renewed but when the files were transfered to the Ministry of Pensions it was revoked, as they felt that her claim did not come under the terms of the Treasury letter 21203/18 of 6th July 1918.

Naturally Miss Jones was not pleased and made representations to have her pension reinstated when it was stopped January 1919. There ensued several months of correspondence between the Treasury and the Ministry of Pensions as they tried to decide the validity of Miss Jones' claim, and therefore any other claims made by former members of the Almeric Paget Military Massage Corps for pension payments.

Miss Jones was left for seven months without a pension payment. On 19th May 1919, a letter was sent from the Minstry of Pensions to the Treasury asking for the matter to be resolved urgently as Ethel was "now in precuniary distress".

Finally on 4th June 1919 a letter was issued from the Treasury to the Ministry of Pensions, in reply to their letter of 11th January 1919, allowing that her pension be reinstated.

Detail from letter from the Treasury to the Ministry of Pensions allowing the reinstatement of pension payments to Miss Ethel Smith  See more  Opens in a new window (52k)

T.L. Heath said "I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury to request you convey to the Minister of Pensions their covering sanction for the award of pension already made to this lady in accordance with the terms of the Royal Warrant of the 1st August 1917, and their sanction for the continuance of the pension for so long as the pensioner's disability renders her eligible therefor."

The documents shown here come from treasury file T 1/12337.