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DateOriginal Topic
9th February 2005Soldiers pay on campain
By Greg King
Could anyone enlighten me as to how much pay troops were recieving during the campain or when they recieved it.I know that even after the cardwell reforms troops at home still only recieved a fraction of thier daily shilling due to various deductions .But would these have still applied on campain. I understand that there may not have been many places to spend there money and that prices charged to British troops were well inflated. Any further information would be greatly recieved.
DateReplies
9th February 2005Martin Everett
Dear Greg,

1879 Pay Rates are given in the Noble 24th on page 376. However if you are looking for more detailed information - then go to the National Archives at Kew and analyse the Soldiers' Pay and Muster Rolls in WO12 series.
11th February 2005Ripcord
Colour Sgt Bourne was getting paid 6d per day , less 3.5d for his rations and quarters giving him a total of 1s 5.5d per week.

Most campaign pay was paid at the end of each campaign and it was only 10 pounds for each soldier.
11th February 2005jim
According to the Noble 24th,
Colour Sgt Bourne was on 2s 7d per day,
A Private on one shilling a day.
Jim
11th February 2005Greg King
I have the Norman holme book with the pay , I also read in Ian Knights "go to your god like soldier" that the most of a shilling a private could expect to see was 4d .So deductions were quite high.Ways of boosting this tayloring , acting as a servant to officer,and good conduct badges. I also read that in a barrack canteen a quart of beer could cost 3d what a rip off!.Ripcord made the piont that colour SGT Bourne was paying for rations and quarters,but I thought the cardwell reforms put paid to troops being deducted for food.So on campain surely the army made no deductions for barracks/dammages .Were fines the only way of reducing that precious daily shilling that Tommy Atkins worked so hard for.
12th February 2005Glenn Wade
Several men who were literate made an extra bit of cash writing letters for their comrades.
Family stories from a defender of Rorke's Drift has it that there was a lot of money in the business of letter writing.
Glenn
12th February 2005Michael Boyle
Were the ORs entitled to a cut from the proceeds of the captured livestock? Any references to the shared take?

Thanks

Mike