question WW2 British Army medical classifications

[Pete Ashby]

I'm doing some research for someone and have come across an entry in a soldiers pay book in the Medical Classification section of 'AFW' my question is what does AFW stand for?

 

Many thanks

 

Pete

Edited April 11, 2012 by Pete Ashby

[poppypiesdad]

Should it not be AF(Army Form) (then a number ) then W(Wounded) and a description of the injury

 

Might be completely wrong but

 

Jamie

[cmp]

If I may add something to this pot, I have also been trying to decode some medical classifications. I came across this desription but what does it mean? where was it?

 

'Trans to D1: List. Pen Bullet wounds chest. No47 British (NWE) FFL D Station'

 

This came from a RAC wound card.

regards

 

Nick

[fv1609]

Pete, is it possible to have a scan but omitting the details of identity? It is much more difficult trying to interpret entries out of context from the original document.

 

I don't know whether the entry might be one of many & over a period of time or a blanket designation that covers the soldier for all his service.

 

It's been suggested it might be something to do with an Army Form & being wounded. I'm not sure about that, but AFW followed by a number could refer to Army Form W***. In Army Forms "W" covers matters relating to war. Here we are dealing with a medical context, Army Forms relating to medical matters are in section "I" thus AFI***. But if there are no numbers this is not the explanation.

 

It may relate to the soldier's health & capabilities. At the start of WW1 there was a classification of "A" to "E". The highest level "A" meant fit for service at home & abroad.

 

AFW may have been a development from that. Rising to a high degree of complication with PULHEEMS - A Joint Service System of Medical Classification in 1951 which was to classify the medical & mental status of individuals & their suitability for work in various parts of the world. So AFW may be part of a system between these two extremes of classification.

 

If the entry is in the context of an entry for a week or so I'm tempted to think it would be a purely medical abbreviation of something along the lines of say Acute Febrile Weakness.

[Pete Ashby]

Clive thanks for the suggestions have a look at the second entry on the form attached

Many thanks

Pete

 

[fv1609]

Pete ah yes I see how that fits in although I'm afraid I can't explain A.F.W.

 

A1 is obvious enough but it does have a specific meaning & it does show that format of categorising was still functional. This is all that I have for the "A" category:

 

Able to march, see to shoot, hear well and stand active service conditions.

Subcategories:

Al Fit for dispatching overseas, as regards physical and mental health, and training

A2 As Al, except for training

A3 Returned Expeditionary Force men, ready except for physical condition

A4 Men under 19 who would be Al or A2 when aged 19

[gazzaw]

I wonder if it is a demob medical where soldiers whose services no longer required (perhaps due to a wound etc) on re-entering civilan life is Assessed Fit for Work (AFW) similar to the leaving medical soldiers get nowadays before they leave service. Might be totally wrong but with it being marked completed made me think it was a last medical

 

gary

[tim gray]

 

Clive thanks for the suggestions have a look at the second entry on the form attachedMany thanks Pete [ATTACH=CONFIG]60271[/ATTACH]

Hi , entries are a little strange date wise, first entry on the card is dated 44, yet the second entry is dated 43........something out of sinc here?

[11th Armoured]

The 'Particulars of Training' page in my Dad's AB64 has the dates all over the place, too, so perhaps it's not that unusual. In his case, the dates (from top to bottom) are:

 

03/09/49

13/02/47

17/02/47

10/03/47

01/02/47

03/02/47

10/01/47

10/08/48

16/04/51

01/04/51

 

[sjms]

I know that this is a very old topic and question, however I thought for anyone else searching for an answer to this uestion, as I was, this is the information that I have managed to find;

 

WW1 Following the armistice, each soldier who served overseas, or his next-of-kin, was due a war gratuity, the size of which reflected his time served and rank achieved. The entries on Registers may show that Army Form W5070 was sent This form was to obtain up-to-date details of surviving next-of-kin.

 

I hope this is helpful somewhat.

[PKS NED]

On 4/11/2012 at 9:39 AM, Pete Ashby said:

I'm doing some research for someone and have come across an entry in a soldiers pay book in the Medical Classification section of 'AFW' my question is what does AFW stand for?

 

Many thanks

 

Pete

AFW stands for Army Field Workshops (list supplied to me by the MOD) Jan 2022

[john fox]

On 1/4/2022 at 11:28 AM, PKS NED said:

AFW stands for Army Field Workshops (list supplied to me by the MOD) Jan 2022

but not in the context of this thread which is very obviously a WW2 medical classification of "fitness". 

I have an inter war period RAMC manual somewhere and (if I find it!) it may shed some light 

Edited February 5, 2022 by john fox