rolt968 Posted 10 June , 2018 Share Posted 10 June , 2018 (edited) This is from the casualty record page of Gunner William James Reid, 95824: Unfortunately the lines above have not come out when it was digitised. He was given about six weeks leave in early 1918 - "Leave to UK with RA". What was "RA"? Since it is on the casualty record page I am assuming something medical. (Since I have it I was tempted by the idea of Rheumatoid Arthritis, but don't really think that's likely!) RM Edited 10 June , 2018 by rolt968 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 10 June , 2018 Share Posted 10 June , 2018 (edited) Probably Ration Allowance - leave could be granted with or without it. Craig Edited 10 June , 2018 by ss002d6252 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 10 June , 2018 Share Posted 10 June , 2018 You often see the words 'Leave' and 'RA' in close proximity, it usually refers to Leave at an army Rest Area. But the context here is different, and the part which says 'with RA' would not make sense. 'With Rheumatoid Arthritis' would fit, but it seems to come out of the blue, with no other evidence to support it. Besides, it's just a little bit too specific a medical abbreviation, to be in common use by an army officer. Royal Artillery? He was a gunner. 1 minute ago, ss002d6252 said: Probably Ration Allowance - leave could be granted with or without it. Craig That sounds better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 10 June , 2018 Author Share Posted 10 June , 2018 Thank you both! Ration Allowance; I always learn something new. I will remember the bit about Rest Area for future reference. There are about four lines above which have hardly come out at all under digitisation. (Virtually blank in the FMP version and so faint as to be illegible in the ancestry version.) There is a similarly illegible four or five lines on the conduct sheet.) It is an "unburnt" record too. Next time I am at TNA with a bit of time to spare I will try to perused them to let me look at the original. RM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 10 June , 2018 Share Posted 10 June , 2018 4 hours ago, rolt968 said: Next time I am at TNA with a bit of time to spare I will try to perused them to let me look at the original. The original standard service record isn't kept at Kew is it? Officers' files are.I thought the original SRs were kept at a disused RAF base, and not accessible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 10 June , 2018 Share Posted 10 June , 2018 The N/A use a former salt mine in Cheshire for a lot of storage, I was under the impression the original ww1 service records for OR's had been moved there once they were digitised. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 10 June , 2018 Author Share Posted 10 June , 2018 9 minutes ago, ss002d6252 said: The N/A use a former salt mine in Cheshire for a lot of storage, I was under the impression the original ww1 service records for OR's had been moved there once they were digitised. Craig Thanks for the warning. I wonder if you can call in off site documents. I will ask next time I am at Kew. RM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 11 June , 2018 Share Posted 11 June , 2018 21 hours ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said: You often see the words 'Leave' and 'RA' in close proximity, it usually refers to Leave at an army Rest Area. The more I think of it, this explanation makes no sense either. Rest Areas although well behind front line areas, weren't holiday camps, they were part of the normal rotation for soldiers, from front line, support areas then rest areas, where all sorts of work activities, refitting etc. occurred. As such, attendance here wasn't optional, so cannot possibly be somewhere a soldier would choose to spend a leave period. I think RA can therefore only mean Ration Allowance, and I shall have to revisit those diary entries that I've hereto encountered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawryleslie Posted 13 June , 2018 Share Posted 13 June , 2018 Certainly in the Navy a rating was either Vict. (Victualled on board) or RA (Ration Allowance) which meant that if you lived ashore with your family or on leave you received the daily equivalent of being victualled on board ship. I would imagine it was the same for the army. Therefore a soldier would be granted leave with RA or ration allowance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alantwo Posted 16 June , 2018 Share Posted 16 June , 2018 On 10/06/2018 at 14:19, rolt968 said: Thank you both! Ration Allowance; I always learn something new. I will remember the bit about Rest Area for future reference. There are about four lines above which have hardly come out at all under digitisation. (Virtually blank in the FMP version and so faint as to be illegible in the ancestry version.) There is a similarly illegible four or five lines on the conduct sheet.) It is an "unburnt" record too. Next time I am at TNA with a bit of time to spare I will try to perused them to let me look at the original. RM Just a suggestion but in the Casualty Form -- Active Service the four lines above the extract appear to begin with Mobilization (?) 9-6-16. It would suggest that it is the same/similar as the Statement of Service later on in the records. I've tried sharpening the image and adjusted the contrast and the second line appears to have RGA 3 Depot and a date at the end, again 9-6-16, which would be the posting as per the Statement of Service. The third line begins RGA but the rest is unreadable and the fourth line begins 296 Siege Battery and although the rest is unreadable you can just about make out a date 11-16 which would correspond with his posting on 14-11-16 in the Statement of Service. Under the line 'Leave to UK with RA' it looks as though it states 'War Pay increased to (?) 9-6-18', it might be the number '2'. Did everyone get a pay rise in 1918? Hope it helps and doesn't confuse the issue. Regards Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 16 June , 2018 Share Posted 16 June , 2018 (edited) 3 hours ago, alantwo said: 'War Pay increased to (?) 9-6-18', it might be the number '2'. It says '2d' meaning an increase in war pay to 2 pennies a day. My grandfather's pay was increased to 2d on 22/5/1918. I wonder what other service records show? Edited 16 June , 2018 by Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tootrock Posted 16 June , 2018 Share Posted 16 June , 2018 According to The Long Long Trail soldiers were paid in the order of one shilling a day. Perhaps that reads that war pay was increased by two pence a day. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alantwo Posted 16 June , 2018 Share Posted 16 June , 2018 1 hour ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said: It says '2d' meaning an increase in war pay to 2 pennies a day. My grandfather's pay was increased to 2d on 22/5/1918. I wonder what other service records show? Thanks both It looks as though it is 'to'. It is faint but there doesn't seem to be the bottom of the 'Y' extending into the line below unlike 'Pay'. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 16 June , 2018 Share Posted 16 June , 2018 Definitely 'to 2d'. My grandfather's entry says 'Granted 2d p.d. War Pay'. Implies something above and beyond 'Pay' maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 16 June , 2018 Author Share Posted 16 June , 2018 4 hours ago, alantwo said: Just a suggestion but in the Casualty Form -- Active Service the four lines above the extract appear to begin with Mobilization (?) 9-6-16. It would suggest that it is the same/similar as the Statement of Service later on in the records. I've tried sharpening the image and adjusted the contrast and the second line appears to have RGA 3 Depot and a date at the end, again 9-6-16, which would be the posting as per the Statement of Service. The third line begins RGA but the rest is unreadable and the fourth line begins 296 Siege Battery and although the rest is unreadable you can just about make out a date 11-16 which would correspond with his posting on 14-11-16 in the Statement of Service. Under the line 'Leave to UK with RA' it looks as though it states 'War Pay increased to (?) 9-6-18', it might be the number '2'. Did everyone get a pay rise in 1918? Hope it helps and doesn't confuse the issue. Regards Alan Many thanks, I had got most of "War pay increased.." but none of the rest. It's interesting the ancestry copy of the record seems to be clearer than the FMP copy. It is usually the other way round. RM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tootrock Posted 16 June , 2018 Share Posted 16 June , 2018 Just noticed this on The Long Long Trail: Army Order 1 (1918) stated that of 29 September 1917 and for the remaining period of the war, the sum of one penny per day War Pay would be paid in respect of each complete year of the man’s service with the colours that had been rendered since the commencement of the war. This was in addition to the man’s normal service pay. By definition periods in reserve service did not count. Any period of penal servitude or of imprisonment or detention of more than 28 days, and any period of continuous absence without leave exceeding 28 days, would not count towards the colour service accumulated. War Pay did not apply to the men of the Non-Combatant Corps. War Pay was not payable in arrears (that is, it began from 29 September 1917 and no pay was to be paid for prior periods). Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 16 June , 2018 Author Share Posted 16 June , 2018 1 hour ago, tootrock said: Just noticed this on The Long Long Trail: Army Order 1 (1918) stated that of 29 September 1917 and for the remaining period of the war, the sum of one penny per day War Pay would be paid in respect of each complete year of the man’s service with the colours that had been rendered since the commencement of the war. This was in addition to the man’s normal service pay. By definition periods in reserve service did not count. Any period of penal servitude or of imprisonment or detention of more than 28 days, and any period of continuous absence without leave exceeding 28 days, would not count towards the colour service accumulated. War Pay did not apply to the men of the Non-Combatant Corps. War Pay was not payable in arrears (that is, it began from 29 September 1917 and no pay was to be paid for prior periods). Martin Excellent! He was a Derby Scheme man mobilised on 9 June 1916. RM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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