Deciphering Army Record

[RayDen]

Have just found my wifes grandfathers army record 1895 to 1903.  He was with the SWB and travelled to Gibralter for one year 1896/1879 but did the remainder of his time in India.

I can make out most of the record but the attached page is giving me problems.

on the 16/5/98 he was granted something, but I can't make out what?

on the 1/6/98 it looks like"Elected to come under the Regulations Governing ***** Allowances etc"  I cant make out what this says or means.

16/3/1903  he was granted something?
19/5/1905  he forfeited something?

Any help appreciated

Regards

Ray

[Billyblue]

The 'something' appears to be G.C.Pay in each case

Granted to one level, then demoted?

Dawn M

EDIT:  Just read another similar post.  G.C.Pay is Good Conduct Pay, and it was an increase of 1 penny a day which is the 1d before the GCPay annotation.

Dawn M

[km1971]

Duplicate post

[km1971]

Hi Ray

It is actually his army record covering 1895 to 1911. He enlisted 21st October 1895. He should have earned his first 1d GC pay two years later. The fact he had to wait 7 months after that, so he either got into trouble (probably drunkenness), or he was under 18 when he enlisted.

The note of 1st June 1898 covers the introduction of messing allowance.

He lost his GC pay 16 February 1900. Granted it again after a year – which was part of the punishment. Granted 2nd GC pay a year after the first. Lost one or both GC in May 1903.

The AR before ‘Transferred’ means Army Reserve. He had enlisted for 7 years plus 5 years in the army reserve. The army had the right to keep him for an eighth year if he was overseas – it will say so on the next page. OR they delayed his transfer because of his conduct. In order to stay the full 12 years in uniform he would normally need two GC badges.

After his 12 years was up he extended his service in Section D army reserve by a further four years. While he was a reservist he would have received 3s 6d a week pay in exchange for two weeks annual training.

If you are any good at sums (21/10/1895 to 8/12/1903) less 7 years 316 days will be the amount of pensionable pay lost through bad conduct.

Under the first AR it says Sec(tion) B, is from memory the 1st Class AR being renamed.

This is in b&w rather than colour so did it come from Ancestry’s WW1 service records? If so it is either a miss-filing or they reused it for some WW1 service.

Ken

[RayDen]

Thanks Dawn & Ken

He was a troublesome boy before he went in the service so it makes sense he continued in that way.

Ken the file did come from the WW1 service records but there were enquiry papers in the file from Jan 1838. From the file:

Nature of enquiry:  102 M of H

and:

Transfers of Re-enlistment:  (1)  Dis 20-10-11
                                           (2)  T of E

I assume they were just checking if he was eligible for call up?


His terms of enlistment says  7 years with colours & 5 years reserve unless he goes overseas when its 8 years with the colours and 4 years reserve.

Thanks both

Ray

[RayDen]

The enquiry was obviously 1938 not 1838.  And I also now think the enquiry was probably about his pension, based on his joining age of 21 he would have been approaching 65 in 1938.

His age was put at 21 years when he joined but he was in fact 24.