Medal Card. Discharge Details.

[Rains4]

I'm thrilled to have found and downloaded my grandfather's medal card from Documents Online. However, I am unable to understand the "Reason for Discharge". I think it reads; " 392 XVI S K.K. 2A1" Can anyone decipher this code for me please? Incidently,this may be relevant.His date of discharge was 4-9-1918. To have been discharged that close to the end of the war makes me think it would have been on medical grounds. I do know he was gassed which affected his health for the rest of his life. He was only 48 when he died of chest problems.Ann

[Peter Goodey]

Not really my area I'm afraid but I do know that Kings Regulation 392 deals with reasons for discharge and reason (xvi) is "no longer physically fir for service".

[Geoffers]

I'm thrilled to have found and downloaded my grandfather's medal card from Documents Online. However, I am unable to understand the "Reason for Discharge". I think it reads; " 392 XVI S K.K. 2A1" Can anyone decipher this code for me please? Incidently,this may be relevant.His date of discharge was 4-9-1918. To have been discharged that close to the end of the war makes me think it would have been on medical grounds. I do know he was gassed which affected his health for the rest of his life. He was only 48 when he died of chest problems.Ann
I Can't help directly - but have you tried searching The Catalogue (formerly PROCAT) at TNA's website
http://www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/default.asp

Enter a name (or just surname if it isn't too common a name) in field 1 and in the bottom field enter PIN. His may be one of the selection of records collated in PIN26 and these often give more clear reasons for discharge. If he died during or soon after the war ended and a widows/dependents pension was granted this may be shown by a record in PIN82.

Geoffers
Charlbury, Oxfordshire

[Rains4]

Thanks very much Peter and Geoffers. There is no record of him under PIN in PROCAT and he didn't die until 1930. However, Peter's information about Kings Regulations would seem to fit the known facts I have. I think you have also solved the mystery (to me) of what "K.K" could mean. It is very hard to read and that was my interpretation of the handwriting...but it is probably "K.R".... King's Regulations. Easy when you know! Thanks. Ann

[Kinnockthecat]

Not really my area I'm afraid but I do know that Kings Regulation 392 deals with reasons for discharge and reason (xvi) is "no longer physically fir for service".

Yes, It's Kings Regulations for discharged whilst medically unfit for regular service. Usual phrase used was "Unlikely to become an efficient soldier" I came across it many times whilst looking through the WO 363 and WO 364 records at the TNA. In fact one of men who tried to enlist several times, was discharged twice within a couple of weeks of each enlistment under KR 392 and finally succeeded in his third attempt. Sadly he was killed some 6 months later. Such was his determination to fight for his country!!!

[Robert Kibblewhite]

If you haven't discovered the answer there is a lot of information on the Imperial War Museum site < www.iwm.org.uk >.

[Forrest Anderson]

If you have a look at my site you will find a list of all the reasons for discharge which formed Para 392 of King's Regulations. It also has extracts from King's Regulations and Army Orders to show how the sub-paragraphs changed over the years.

Forrest