£15 bounty

[Chris_Baker]

A chap that I am researching ( a Territorial with the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers, ex 6th Cheshires) was paid a £15 bounty in October 1918, under Army Order 209 of 1916. £5 was immediately payable, and £10 payable on demobilisation.

Could anyone please explain what that was all about?

[Joe Sweeney]

Chris,

Hopefully someone who has access to the Army Orders can give you the full details, but I can provide this.

GRO 1756 "bounties to Soldiers" 24/8/16. The conditions under which a Bounty may be issued to soldiers........who have voluntarily undertaken to continue to serve, re-enlisted, rengaged, &c., are laid down in Army Order 209 of June 1916,.....

Generally, GRO 1756 dealt with how to apply and what forms to use to get a bounty and not the details of the Army Order or Military Service Act (session 2).

I think it deals with the fact that not all forms of non-medical discharge were nullified by the advent of war. Those that still qualified for discharge either under the Kings regulations or Regulations for the Territorial Force could receive a bounty should they elect to continue to serve. Hopefully someone can give the concrete details.

Joe Sweeney