Military Term - Definition from War Diary

[Borden Battery]

In a couple parts of the Borden Motor Machine Gun Battery war diary (and other war diaries) there is a sometimes reference to a soldier being released "on account of cessession of working pay". Some accounts suggest medical reasons whiles others suggest the soldier is no longer fit for other reasons. One example is as follows, "Movement Orders" are issued for Privates Carrington, Brunneau, McKenzie, Sullivan and Sergeant Hillyer to be returned to Canada "on account of cessession of working pay" - these are all original members of Borden's Armoured Battery and recruited by Mayor Holland, VC.

Can someone please provide some background on the definition of this phrase and further examples of both its use and any regulations pertaining to same?

Regards

Borden Battery

[Mars]

Here is another example: see p. 26

https://archive.org/stream/extractsfromward00claruoft/extractsfromward00claruoft_djvu.txt

Mars

[Borden Battery]

Thank you. Please watch for any details on the definition itself. Borden Battery.

[Mars]

For what I can gather now, it looks to be something involving civilian contracted by the army for specialized work. They were receiving a additional pay (the working pay) and once the budget was gone, they were released from service.

I am still to find this information from a reliable source to confirm this impression.

I see that Hyllier was cook. What are Reg # of others, did they have a specialized trade as well?

Mars

[Mars]

OK,

I can only find a quote from another website:

http://regimentalrogue.com/misc/researching_first_world_war_soldiers_part11.htm

The last paragraph is a quote from "Canadian Expeditionary units. Instructions, governing the organization..." (1916).

[Borden Battery]

Private William John Hillyer was a 33 year old accountant but was also recorded as having six tattoos on his chest and arms - so we can assume he may have been a more robust type of accountant. Bruneau was a salesman of average build. Carrington was a Mechanical Chauffeur of smaller build and Sullivan was a rugged hard rock prospector. Not enough descriptors to ID McKenzie. Most of the men would have been recruited from the rough neck region of Cobalt, Ontario which was a major silver mining region in the world at this time. Emphasis on recruits into the Borden's Armoured Battery was for tough men used to hard work and living outside in the elements. By all indications, the only specialized person would have been Carrington the chauffeur. Your suggested website gives some insight and thank you again. Attached in the ULR for Hillyer.

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/first-world-war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/image.aspx?Image=395126a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fdata2.archives.ca%2fcef%2fgpc006%2f395126a.gif&

[Mars]

OOps. I had the wrong Hillyer lol

Carrington's service file might have been digitized, being in the "C" and I think LAC has them done? Maybe it would explain why he was released.

Good luck!

[Borden Battery]

After some detailed research through the Nominal Rolls of the Borden Motor Machine Gun Battery, it appears I have been able to answer my original questions regarding "Movement Orders" and "on account of cessession of working pay". Interesting pattern is emerging. Here is an excerpt from an extended paper I am working on. Borden Battery

"In addition, on 10 August 1916 "Movement Orders" are issued for Privates Carrington, Brunneau, MacKenzie, Sullivan and Sergeant Hillyer to be returned to Canada "on account of cessession of working pay" - these are all original members of Borden's Armoured Battery and recruited by Mayor Holland, VC. Private Carrington is a 38-year of mechanical chauffeur of small stature and has issues with both his lungs and strength. Pte. Brunneau appears to be a second Bruneau in the Battery; the first Private Philip Henry Brunneau had prior military experience, was promoted to Lieutenant and serves with distinction; the Bruneau referenced in the War Diary leaves no service files. Pte. John Rose Mackenzie is released owing to myalgia and likely syphilis. Pte. James Ellard Sullivan is dropped by the Borden Battery for contracting syphilis and later serves with the Canadian Service Pool, Motor Transport and is wounded later in the war but recovers. Finally, Sergeant William John Hillyer is a married accountant with over a decade of experience in the Canadian militia, however, he is also SOS as a result of a diagnosis of syphilis after just completing an extensive machine gun course; is treated and then returned to his wife in Canada. In general, the reason for the above “Movement Orders” is related to either lack of robust health and venereal disease.

According to the Desmond Morton book “When Your Numbers Up”, pp 200-201, the Canadian Corps had a serious issue with venereal disease within the ranks and considered the condition as both a moral and disciplinary issue. Nearly one in nine Canadians overseas was infected; a rate even higher than the Australians. A total of 66,346 cases of VD were recorded versus only 45,460 cases of influenza. As a result, weekly “short-arm” inspections were common activities for the Canadian medical officers."

[Borden Battery]

As a footnote to the "Movement Orders" here is a summary of the original 59-man Borden Motor Machine Gun Battery from an extended research paper.  Borden Battery

 

"The Nominal Roll for the Borden Battery, published on 17 May 1915 and the date the Battery sailed to England, lists Major Holland VC as the first member Taken-On-Strength (TOS) as of 1 November 1914. By the end of 1914 the strength of the Battery was listed at just 13 members. The Battery was able to recruit toughened miners and hard rock prospectors in the initial draft. It is possible many of the initial draft were well known to Major Holland VC and vice versa.  This familiarity with the men can be both an advantage in initial selection of suitable recruits but also creates future issues with discipline as the role from friend to the Officer Commanding the Battery evolved.  In mid-December 1914 about ten of the initial recruits were TOS and included a mechanic-chauffeur, a bricklayer, a mechanical engineer enlisted as a corporal, two prospectors and a railway man.  The last man accepted is a prospector-machinist and he is TOS on the morning of 15 May 1915 and just before the Borden Battery marches to the train station and overseas.

 

As is often the case in the rapid assemblage of men from a wide range of backgrounds during the recruitment for war; the spectrum of skills and character can vary widely.  Some men of great promise fail to perform while others thought of average potential rise to the occasion and earn mentions-in-dispatches including being awarded gallantry medals by Field Marshal Haig.  Many of the men perform their volunteer duties and leave little record other than they volunteered, did their duty and survived.

 

Conversely, character flaws and base behaviour is also exhibited. At least two of the original members of the Borden Battery will be charged with desertion, several others will be court-marshalled and/or charged with “28-day field-punishments” with one being promoted to an officer shortly thereafter. Some of these rough and ready men from the mining camps remain unpolished by military discipline but also carry with them a strong fighting experience – this does not appear to have been lost by several of their officers.

 

Eleven of the original men will be killed during the Great War including a wounded soldier being drowned in the sinking of the HMHS Anglia hospital ship and one man in the last week of the war. Fifteen men will be wounded (25%), some more than once, for a combined casualty rate of 44  percent of the original Battery. Overall, the total casualties of the Borden Battery during the course of the Great War will be significant with the 23-24 March 1918 period virtually wiping out the Battery at Cléry-sur-Somme.

 

Twelve of the original 59 (20%) men will suffer from venerable disease[1], one was in the tertiary stages of syphilis during his original and hasty examination by the recruitment doctor.  Several men will be removed from the Battery as a result, some returned to Canada and others being transferred to other Canadian Expeditionary Force units – some then serving with distinction. Many original privates will promote to Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO) and then to commissioned officers. Some men will revert back to privates at their own request.

 

Many of the Originals, wounded mentally and/or physically, will return to Canada or back to England in an attempt to rebuild their lives.  Some will recover while others will lead a diminished life and/or succumb to these wounds earlier than the general population.  These post-war consequences are often forgotten in the final tally of the “butcher’s bill” in war.

 

Four of the original men were born in the United States but Attested in Montreal during the formation of the Battery in late 1914 and early 1915. Great Britain and Jamaica accounted for another nineteen members by place of birth. Initial Canadian-born recruits numbered thirty-four with the geography including the Yukon, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia – but with Ontario and Quebec accounting for the majority.  By war's end, the composition of the original draft had changed dramatically with 11 of the original 59 men Killed-in-Action (KIA); one original member being lost in the last week of the war. Other members would be transferred to other units or be deemed medically unfit owing to injury, illness or wounds. New members would be added on a regular basis owing to casualties, transfers to other units, the formation of the 2^nd Canadian Machine Gun Corps (2CMMGB) from the original 1st Canadian Machine Gun Corps, and finally the extremely heavy casualties inflicted on the Borden Battery while engaged with the Germans in the Cléry-sur-Somme region on 24-25 March 1918 Spring Offensive, or Kaiserschlacht

.."

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[1] According to the Desmond Morton book “When Your Numbers Up”, pp 200-201, the Canadian Corps had a serious issue with venereal disease within the ranks and considered the condition as both a moral and disciplinary issue. Nearly one in nine Canadians overseas was infected; a rate even higher than the Australians. A total of 66,346 cases of VD were recorded versus only 45,460 cases of influenza. As a result, weekly “short-arm” inspections were common activities for the Canadian medical officers.

 

Edited 12 October , 2019 by Borden Battery
Correct some formatting and fonts plus incorrect ship nbame.