Was 1/3rd of pay enough for wife and 4 children?

[Bardess]

I'm currently writing up mini-bio's for my collection and notice that in the majority of records I've found, where the man is married with at least 2 children, he has stipulated that 1/3rd of his pay should go to his family. Would this have been enough for his family to live or did he need more than his family at the Front?

Quite a few of my men didn't serve long enough to earn furloughs, so, what did they spend their money on? Food? Tobacco?

[Guest]

Morning Diane. I think some of their pay would have been automatically saved, but no idea how much. Then in the event of death, would have been sent to NOK?

Mike

[Chris_Baker]

Any pay that the man agreed to send home this way was in addition to a (larger) separation allowance that the wife received from the government.

[Ron Clifton]

Hello all

I don't think anything was saved automatically from a man's pay, but he did not have to draw it in full every week, so what was left remained to his credit, and he could use some of it to buy postal orders to send home to his family in addition to the agreed stoppages for their maintenance.

Basic food was provided free by the Army, and I'm not sure whether cigarettes were as well, but a soldier could buy extra food in French estaminets (egg and chips was a popular choice) and, of course the local wine and beer.

Ron

[bill24chev]

Any pay that the man agreed to send home this way was in addition to a (larger) separation allowance that the wife received from the government.

I believe that an allotment from pay for wife and family was compulsory for them to then be entitled to Marriage Allowance. Do you know if 1/3rd of pay was a compulsory minimum?

[Chris_Baker]

Not sure. Funnily enough I am just in the process of putting together a page for the LLT on this subject. Boy is it complicated. I'll dig out the various Army Orders and Army Council Instructions on the subject later today and see if I can find the answer to that question.

[Bardess]

Thank you for all your thoughts - I'd completely forgotten about Separation Allowance. Actually, Chris, LLT was the first place I searched for the info and I'd be happy if you'd supply a link to it once it's done

[johnboy]

http://www.ww1propag...-march-1-1915-0

The seperation allowance would need to be looked at in the context of rent, cost of food etc. The government must have thought it was a good rate to have posters done or maybe to encourage more enlistees who wondered how their wives and kids would survive.

These posters must have been printed by the thousand yet after looking at no end of photos showing High Streets all around the uk 1914-1918 [ looking for recruitment offices,] Ihave never seen them on walls, in windows etc.

Soldiers had a tobacco ration. I think it was 2oz per day.

[Bardess]

Excellent information on the poster - thank you

[Jim Clay]

http://www.ww1propag...-march-1-1915-0

Soldiers had a tobacco ration. I think it was 2oz per day.

As a smoker (retired), I'd think 2 oz per day would be very generous. I used to manage on a half ounce of Old Holborn per day (20-30 cigs per half ounce). But I wasn't in the trenches, up to me neck in blood and bullets ...

[johnboy]

It does seem a lot. But not as much as shown on this site!

http://www.historyle...he_trenches.htm

I have 2ozs quoted regularly and a couple as above. Until I see anything different I'll have to accept 2oz.

I wonder if it should be a week? Must have been awkward rolling them in the trenches..holding rifle up out of mud , wet hands etc. Could have been pipe baccy I suppose.

[Guest]

I wonder if it should be a week? .

I think probably per week. firstworldwar.com seems pretty reliable?

" up to 2 oz. tobacco per week (at discretion of commanding general) "

Mike

[Ron Clifton]

These posters must have been printed by the thousand yet after looking at no end of photos showing High Streets all around the uk 1914-1918 [ looking for recruitment offices,] Ihave never seen them on walls, in windows etc.

Hello Johnboy

I think the Army used post offices (presumably inside) to display a lot of their posters. The mobilization notices were certainly displayed in this way.

Ron

[Chris_Baker]

To give you a taste of the value of separation allowance, here is basic data from Army Order 402 (1914):

- the lowest rate: soldier's allotment to wife 3s 6d; separation allowance for wife not living in public quarters, 9s 0d; total 12s 6d.

- if wife plus one child, lowest rate: soldier's allotment 4s 1d; separation allowance 10s 11d; total 15s.

- if wife plus two children, lowest rate: soldier's allotment 4s 8d; separation allowance 12s 10d; total 17s 6d.

- and so on.

Link to table of army rates of pay in 1914: http://www.1914-1918.net/pay_1914.html

[centurion]

As a smoker (retired), I'd think 2 oz per day would be very generous. I used to manage on a half ounce of Old Holborn per day (20-30 cigs per half ounce). But I wasn't in the trenches, up to me neck in blood and bullets ...

And if you were a pipe smoker (as I was once) you'd need a pretty big pipe to go through that amount. An ounce of Balkan Sobrane (I had expensive tastes) would last me about four days and I'd think some of the coarser tobaccos would be slow burners.

[johnboy]

Hello Johnboy

I think the Army used post offices (presumably inside) to display a lot of their posters. The mobilization notices were certainly displayed in this way.

Ron

Have a look at topic Your Country Needs you Under Soldiers Other. I have looked at many pics of Town Halls, High Streets etc and I have yet come up with nothing showing theses posters. It has even drawn a blank looking at pics of public transport. There are probably pics out there but I don't seem able to find them.

[Bardess]

To give you a taste of the value of separation allowance, here is basic data from Army Order 402 (1914):

- the lowest rate: soldier's allotment to wife 3s 6d; separation allowance for wife not living in public quarters, 9s 0d; total 12s 6d.

- if wife plus one child, lowest rate: soldier's allotment 4s 1d; separation allowance 10s 11d; total 15s.

- if wife plus two children, lowest rate: soldier's allotment 4s 8d; separation allowance 12s 10d; total 17s 6d.

- and so on.

Link to table of army rates of pay in 1914: http://www.1914-1918.net/pay_1914.html

Perfect, thank you [and for the link]. Will you be adding the revised rates at all?

[Chris_Baker]

Hope so. I am building up a page but it is complex and as I only get about 5 minutes a day to do it, it might take a few more days yet!

[Bardess]

It would assist me if it was only by percentage [to save your fingers ]; also to know how many times their pay was revised.

Cheers

[Bardess]

Chris, would you please make room for a small PM?

[Chris_Baker]

Should be OK now.