Army form query

[kimhulme]

I know quite a lot about this chap. In a Heavy Battery (155th East Cheshire R.G.A.) very badly injured on the Somme and ended up at the Edinburgh War Hospital at Bangour. Next-of-kin would have been notified, but what is the P.M. A(army) F.(form) feint 9, and maybe more, below with later date? There's usually a prefix letter before the number though. Could it have meant Post Mortem? I had been told  many years ago that his parents had been told he'd never walk again and also that they'd started getting rid of his things (told he had died?) His widow told me in 1996 that there was only one surgeon at Bangour who would 'undertake to cut out the gangrene' (probably gas gangrene) - this prevalent vile smelling affliction was  the result of injuries in rat infested, insanitary, etc. conditions. ...... He survived and died 1973. I've asked of many what the P.M. could mean. Always drawn a blank so far.   

[jim1]

Army jargon's always difficult to decipher, medical jargon even more so.
I'm sure you will get different interpretations.
My two penn'th is it could be Primary Medical Assessment 26/10/16.
F9 could be the grading, A1 being the fittest. Although I'm not aware of it going to F level.
It may be his injuries were so severe it was obvious he was never going to return.

[km1971]

He arrived at Bangour on the 13th. They would have done a primary assessment before the 26th I am sure.

Could PM be Paymaster? Rates of pay were reduced while in hospital, plus he would lose any front line and other allowances.

Normally there was a letter at the front of the numbered reference. But there was only one letter per number. - there was not C97, only B97. So everyone would know that 97 was a B. AF (B)97 meant "Special Reserve/TF applied to Regular Army - Request Description and Character". Cheshire RGA was Territorial force. But only a guess as the writing is faint.

Also, W3037 was for "Notification of the Death of a Soldier".

Welcome to the dark side - http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?/topic/201639-list-of-army-forms/

Ken

[kimhulme]

Thanks Gents for ideas. Tend  to think PayMaster most plausible at the moment. Further down the sheet, not shown here, is from 'Office' on 28. 10. 16  AF B.178 to O  I/c Edinburgh  War Hosp.-- which are medical history forms for Regular Army personnel. Further down still11.5.17. from the 'Office' to O/C. 37 Coy RGA (which was Portsmouth) are docs  AF B, 120, next v. feint,121,120... all conduct sheets.
 Having said that, and very faintly dated ?/7.17. what appears to be  the O/C 37 Coy asks  if 'man has appeared before Medical Board, being found unsuitable for employment in RGA   C '(very curly C) 111, which I guess means Category 3. My understanding is that from Portsmouth men were sent  back to France pretty soon to a Siege Battery, as required. One wonders how  someone so badly injured/cured? would be reposted to active service. He was finally discharged  on 2 .8.1917

[km1971]

Ciii or C3 meant " Only suitable for sedentary work'

Ken

[kimhulme]

Thanks Ken. Still somewhat confusing in that if he was only suitable for sedentary work in the July why was he finally discharged 2nd August 1917. His RGA Record Office at Dover receipt for his silver badge is dated 30 July and he signed it on 2nd Aug. It was obviously signed elsewhere as the footnote says  it was to be returned to that office.

[km1971]

They may have had more C3s than they had jobs for. So decided to discharge him.

Ken