TOPIC:

Did ordinary soldiers get a pension or payment on discharge and if so what were the conditions around that?

Pte Arthur Carver served his 12 years with the Colours finishing in 1910. He then joined the reserves a month later. When he was given a medical discharge in 1914 it assesses his "capacity for earning a full livelihood in the general labour market" and puts it at one quarter. I don't know if that means his earning capacity is reduced by 1/4 or he could earn only 25% of a healthy man - but I am thinking that they must be assessing for some kind of payment, otherwise why would they bother recording it.

Other than his Section D pay of 6d per day and training day payments, would he have been entitled to any other money, or his widow (until she remarried) and children after his death in 1916? Also if children got payments after his death would this include his stepson who was on his forms as a dependent?

Thanks!

www.wikitree.com/wiki/Carver-5359

Fumblina
According to Edward M. Spiers' "The Late Victorian Army 1868 - 1902" an enlisted man in the British army at the time of the South African war was required to serve twenty-one years (and be of good character) to receive a pension. Spiers continues that the maximum pension for an NCO was five shillings a day while a private soldier received a shilling a day. Those who enlisted under the Short Service system received no pension at the end of their service. Pensions were available, however, for those who were invalided out of service due to a disability incurred in action. Such pensions were subject to review.
I regret that I have no information available as to payments made after that period.
Regards
IL.

Thanks for that. It's hard to imagine 12 years with much of it spent in foreign climes and even in battle being considered 'short service', isn't it?

Fumblina
The intention of the Short Service scheme was to create a reserve of trained men who could be mobilized in times of emergency. A man may do several years full time and then be placed on the reserve for the remainder of his stint. But always subject to recall. There were many commentators who were against the Short Service scheme - but it was a relatively quick way of creating a reserve. The big test of the SS scheme was the call up of the reserves during the Boer War (with the Army Reserve numbering in 1899 about 80,000) and it was reckoned a great success.
I recommend Spiers' book mentioned earlier for a good picture of the late Victorian Army.
Regards
IL.