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Archiver > SOG-UK > 1999-02 > 0917961612


From: "B. A. White" <>
Subject: [SOG-UK-L] RE: SOG-UK-D Digest V99 #27
Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1999 13:20:12 -0000


In message <v01530500b2d93503bbcc@[203.57.210.196]>, B and A Pike
<> writes
>
>Did all serving personnel in WWI have to make wills

Certainly from the last century soldiers account books/paybooks (e.g. W.O.
Form 267) contained forms of wills for soldiers' use (e.g.: W.O. Form 897
"Form of Will, No. 1 - to be used by a Soldier desirous of leaving the
whole of his Effects to one person"; W.O. Form 898 "Form of Will, No. 2 -
To be used by a Soldier desirous of leaving Legacies to some one or more
Persons, and the Residue to another, or others"; and W.O. Form No. 899,
"Form of Will No. 3 - To be used by a Soldier desirous of leaving his
Property to his wife and Children in the Shares and proportions which the
Law has declared to be just to them").

Soldiers going on active service were encouraged to have made their wills
before departure; such encouragement could extend to coercion.

I have a copy of a document from Australian army sources certifying that
the statement "I do not desire to make a will." was made and signed by a
particular soldier of the A.I.F. in his Paybook. (His circumstances were
such that he would have had nothing significant to bequeath.)

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