Paid lance corporals

[Guest newworldmember]

It's long been my understanding that lance corporal in the British Army is (or was) an appointment rather than a rank and that it seldom qualified a man for extra pay. However, I know that, infrequently, lance corporals were given higher pay. The brother of a soldier whose life I have researched during his service before and during WWI was made a paid lance corporal.

Can anyone explain to me the time frame in which pay for lance corporals was begun, whether it is still in existence or when this practice ended?

Many thanks to anyone who can answer these questions.

[iain mchenry]

In the British army today L/Cpl is a rank not an appointment. I'm not sure when the change happened from appointment to rank. A L/Cpl is also paid for this rank, higher than a Private Soldier.

Iain

[Joe Sweeney]

New World Member,

In the line Infantry a Private was paid 1s a day until Jan 1918.

A Private Paid Lance Corporal was paid 1s 3d until Jan 1918.

This would vary by whether he was Foot Guard, RFA, RE etc with Infantry of the line the lowest paid.

Paid lance Corporals usually out numbered unpaid, although this may have changed during the war.

The numbers of paid lance ranks was laid down in the Peace or War establishments, part 1. Per KR Para 294 a Brigade Commander was authorized to increase the establishment, temporarily, by the appintment of Unpaid Lance or Acting Ranks.

In 1914 the war establishment of an Infantry Battalion was authorized 49 Paid Lance Corporals.

Joe Sweeney