The pre-War Army

[drummer]

I am trying to form a picture in my mind of the army that went to France in August 1914. Thanks to the Forum, it is starting to clarify, but I have a few questions that I hope the experts can answer easily. These pertain to the halcyon days before the outbreak of war:

When was payday? I have seen cinematic depictions of US troops lined up (probably by company) and each man approaches an officer seated at a table and he signs for his pay. Did the British Army have the same sort of ritual?? If so, did senior NCOs have to do the same? How about Officers?

What was the leave policy for OR? Did time in service and rank have anything to do with amount of time available for leave?

Thanks to LLT, I know that the band went to war as stretcher bearers, but that the Bandmaster and Band Sergeant stayed home. Under whose command were these bandsmen in the field??

I have read a book called Mr. Kipling’s Army but it was mostly about the Victorian Army and dealt primarily with quirky regimental customs and privileges. Certainly things had changed by Haldane’s tenure. Does anyone know of a book, memoir or website concerning the day to day life of a battalion in a pre-war garrison?

Many thanks…

Drummer

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

A US Army Pay Day @ Camp Tampa during the Spanish War 1898,

I have a similar 1st Cambridgeshire TF Photo for July 1914 @ Camp of "G" Company Pay Parade,virtually identical,only the uniforms are different!

[johnreed]

I remember one time on pay parade I march smartly up to the pay table, I did what I thought was a perfect halt sliped went over backwards at the same time kicking the pay table over with all the money going everywhere. On picking myself up and helping to sort out table, recovering the money I was promptly sent to the back of the queue to await my turn. No NAAFI break for me in that instance.

John

P.S. I was called a few names not repeatable.

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

"G"{March & District}Company;1st Battalion The Cambridgeshire Regiment TF;Pay Parade @ Thetford Camp circa July 1911.{PC sent by a W.E.Dring {later Sgt WW1} to a Mr A.G.Dockerill of March.

Though some 13 Years later & some thousands of miles apart to the US Pay Parade above,is remarkable similar in all but the Uniforms!

[24225978]

In the British Army, as late as the '70's, we were still holding Pay Parades.

It was on a friday in my day. The ritual was that we were fell-in and a small table and chair provided for the OC of the Company.

As Johnreed has stated, the Pay Books were laid out on the table with the soldiers pay piled neatly on each.

When your name was called you came to attention, marched to the table, halted and saluted. Your name was stated by the officer, the amount of pay, any 'stoppages' (for deficiencies and damages or fines). You then checked the amount handed to you against the sum entered in your paybook and signed the paybook against the entry.

You then took a pace to the rear, stated "Pay and Pay Book correct, Sir", saluted, turned to the right and marched back to your place in the ranks.

Only when the Pay Parade was concluded and you were fallen-out or dismissed (depending on the time of the parade in the working day) could you leg it to the Naffi. Many though had to pay debts to other soldiers for doing their guard-duty or something else first!

I don't remember many such parades past about 1975 because most soldiers by then had their pay sent straight into a bank account (if only because it avoided the parade!).

My father and grandfather confirmed that the same procedure was pretty much observed in their time. In the case of my grandfather, his experience was as long ago as 1910.

[Muerrisch]

I have interpolated some answers herewith:

When was payday? I have seen cinematic depictions of US troops lined up (probably by company) and each man approaches an officer seated at a table and he signs for his pay. Did the British Army have the same sort of ritual?? Yes, the actual day and frequency varied from one unit to another, and according to contingencies/ exigencies. If so, did senior NCOs have to do the same? I believe not. How about Officers? Into a bank account/agent. Field cashiers authorised to disburse modest sums to officers, but officers expected to use cheques.

What was the leave policy for OR? Did time in service and rank have anything to do with amount of time available for leave? Before the war, huge amounts of leave/ furlough could be taken when all ranks not needed for service or training. This particularly overseas. No formal length of service/ rank tabulation: one asked for leave and either got it or not. The army continued to ration you and pay you during furlough.

Thanks to LLT, I know that the band went to war as stretcher bearers, but that the Bandmaster and Band Sergeant stayed home. No: the Band Sergeant went to the Base of operations [not the same as the Home Depot] so was a senior NCO of the battalion nucleus at a Channel Port. Under whose command were these bandsmen in the field?? These men paraded with their companies, but, when employed as bearers, were under the RMO usually.

I have read a book called Mr. Kipling’s Army but it was mostly about the Victorian Army and dealt primarily with quirky regimental customs and privileges. Certainly things had changed by Haldane’s tenure. Does anyone know of a book, memoir or website concerning the day to day life of a battalion in a pre-war garrison? You could do no better than 'Old Soldier Sahib'Many thanks…

Drummer

[nfh249]

In the British Army, as late as the '70's, we were still holding Pay Parades...

When your name was called you came to attention, marched to the table, halted and saluted...

Serving with the TA in the 1990's we were paid directly into our bank accounts, but when on 'field' annual camps (as opposed to camps in barracks) we still performed the pay parade as described above, complete with table in the middle of the field! Some things never change...

Regards,

Neil.

[drummer]

The Pals come through again!!

Many thanks, especially to Grumpy, for your answers and reminiscences.

HarryBetts...those two photos are remarkable in their similarities. I would bet that one could substitute just about any uniform from any period..armies are armies..

Thanks once again..

Drummer

[AndyHollinger]

Pay Parade in 1973 at Fort Riley, KS ... was incredibly the same. The big difference was that all the pay was in identical ... Marked ... $20s and $10s ... that way the local/MP police could see where we were spending money ... and close down / shake down (?) the local prostitutes and bars ...