HOME GUARD SERVICE

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23917, 8 April 1943, Page 6

HOME GUARD SERVICE

COMPENSATION FOR INJURIES

MEN’S RIGHT TO CLAIM PENSIONS

Sick or injured Home Guard personnel are entitled to obtain the same hospital facilities as are open to other soldier patients of the armed forces. They and their dependants also have the right to claim pensions in cases where disability is due to service in the Home Guard or has been aggravated by such service. In the case of death, the widow may receive either social security or a war pension, and if she remarries, children under 16 may also receive benefits, in each case as decided by the War Pensions Board.

This information is given in a circular from Army Headquarters, which details the procedure to be followed when Home Guardsmen claim that injuries or sickness are attributable to or aggravated by military service. The statements in the. circular, and additional comment made at Southern Military District Headquarters, answer questions asked by Mr J. Paton Boyd in a letter to “The Press.” Mr Boyd wished to know the position of the dependants of Home Guardsmen in cases where loss of life or employment was due to Home Guard activities, what was the procedure in claims for compensation, and to whom were they made.

Reporting to Hospital The circular states that as the Home Guard is part of the defence forces of the Dominion Home Guardsmen have the right to claim pensions under the War Pensions Extension Act, 1940. Where a Home Guardsman suffers an injury or any other disability which he considers to have been attributable to or aggravated by his service, he has to report to the nearest public hospital for treatment, identifying himself as a Home Guardsman, and giving particulars of his unit and nqme and address if his commanding officer. If he is unable to report to the hospital, he will call in the nearest doctor and obtain treatment. At the same time he has to ask the doctor to advise his commanding officer. All details regarding the sick or injured Home Guardsman’s case must be notified to the commanding officer, who makes arrangements for application to be made for a war pension or social security benefit as required. The first and most important point is that prompt notifications be given to the commanding officer or adjutant. Hospital Charge

Where the Home Guardsman’s injury or other disability is accepted as attributable to or aggravated by Home Guard service, the War Pensions Board will pay the, usual additional charge, as for a soldier, to the hospital board concerned. Where the injury or other disability is not so accepted, the War Pensions Board will advise the hospital authorities accordingly. The Registrar of War Pensions or local agent of the Social Security Department will arrange for immediate financial relief to be granted in necessitous cases to tide the Home Guardsman over the period during which any application for war pension and the question of attributability of his disability to Home Guard service is being decided. No stand down period will be imposed, but there will be an adjustment between any sickness benefit granted and any war pension which may subsequently be awarded. Before mobilisation the Army does not accept responsibility for injuries sustained by a Home Guardsman when travelling to or from the place of parade. Mr Boyd had asked in his letter if claim for compensation covered time spent travelling to or from home to the parade ground, if the person involved was wearing uniform or arm band.

Mr Boyd also asked if the findings of the examining medical board influenced claims, and if the family doctor’s evidence or case history were given due weight in decisions for compensation. The position is that due weight must be given by a medical board to any evidence from a private medical practitioner.