Removal Of Separation Allowances

[ianw]

I was rather shocked to read recently that a total of 16,000 women had their separation allowances stopped because it was felt that they were abusing the monies paid out and behaving immorally. Drinking and infidelity were main areas considered.

The Army Council called on a reluctant police force to enforce this policy and this obviously was done given the 16,000 figure - 2% approx. of total recipients. I wonder if the NA/PRO still has files on this.

This was surely a snoopers charter and must have hit O.R's families almost exclusively. One also wonders what the affect on men serving abroad would have been when they found out about the stopping of the payments - a "Dear John" with sting in the tale.