Monday 12th January 1920

Pte. Matthew Stone MM (see 29^th March 1919), who had been transferred to Class Z in February 1920, was awarded an Army pension on the basis of having suffered a 20% disability on account of wounds and otitis media, attributable to his service; he was awarded 15s. 1d. per week, to be reviewed after one year.

The Directorate of Graves Registration and Enquiries wrote to the Rev. F. Hart, who was the father of the late 2Lt. Charles Crowther Hart (see 15^th November 1917), who had been killed in action in November 1917 while serving with 3/3^rd Battalion, King’s African Rifles in East Africa and had been buried locally close to Massassi, in what is now Malawi. Rev. Hart was informed that, “It has been found necessary to exhume the bodies buried in certain areas and to re-inter them in cemeteries, and the body of the late Lt. C.C. Hart, attached King’s African Rifles, has accordingly been removed from Mwiti and has been buried in Massassi Cemetery, East Africa. The grave has been duly marked and registered in this office. The re-burial has been carefully and reverently carried out”.

Payment of an £8 10s. war gratuity was authorised in respect of the late L.Cpl. Thomas Ward (see 22^nd August), who had accidentally drowned whilst bathing in August 1917; the payment would go to his father, Thomas.

Having received correspondence regarding the late Pte. Edwin Charles Church (see 29^th March 1918), who had been killed in action in September 1917, Mrs. Annie D’Arcy wrote to the Infantry Records Office; she was the sister-in-law of Pte. Church. “I am unable to fill up form of relatives of the late E.C. Church. He was the husband of my sister, who is also dead, and I have got one of her children and the other child is being brought up by the husband’s people. Mr. Church snr. lives at 38 Crescent Lane, Clapham Park, London, SW. He will be able to give you all the information concerning the family. Although related by marriage I am almost a stranger to them. I know that E.C. Church had a father and three sisters, but I do not know any of their names. I hope I have made myself clear”.