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#4585989 - 11/26/21 04:38 PM OT - Amount of RAF Demobilization pay  
Joined: May 2012
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epower Offline
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epower  Offline
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I've checked my usual online references and while there are hints, and an excellent discussion of the process, actual numbers remain elusive. In his introduction to Sagittarius Rising, Cecil Lewis notes how the the war left him

"...inequipped for any serious career, with a Military Cross, a Royal handshake, a six-hundred-pound gratuity, and - I almost forgot to say - my life."

Was this amount typical for an RAF Flying Officer? Lewis was a Captain at the time of demobilization.

Any assistance greatly appreciated.

epower

Last edited by epower; 11/26/21 04:39 PM.
#4585995 - 11/26/21 07:36 PM Re: OT - Amount of RAF Demobilization pay [Re: epower]  
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Raine Offline
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Raine  Offline
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Epower – you should have included a "rabbit hole alert" before posting this one. Unable to find an answer through my normal sources, I did a search on Hansard on the UK Government site. On 10 July 1918, a Mr Peto, MP, asked the First Lord of the Admiralty "whether he is aware of the fact that at the end of the War Territorial and New Army officers are entitled to a gratuity equivalent to 124 days' pay for the first year of service and 62 days' pay for each subsequent year's service." A scale for senior NCOs and junior ranks appears in the Hansard entries for (if I recall correctly) 20 November 1918.

There is a war gratuity calculator available for download at war gratuity calculator. It seems that you can obtain a trial membership at this site.

The bottom line is that the gratuity would be based on length of service and pay scale (i.e. rank). Lewis, for example, had more than two years of service as I recall, having been in France long enough to learn to fly a Morane throughout the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Add to that the time he spent in training before shipping to France and the time he spent in England before demobilisation. So £600 would represent the war gratuity for a captain with about three years of service.

Cheers,


Raine

#4586000 - 11/26/21 08:21 PM Re: OT - Amount of RAF Demobilization pay [Re: epower]  
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epower Offline
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epower  Offline
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Thank you, Raine. Excellent work. My apologies for the unmarked Rabbit Hole. One must be cautious when approaching my OT Thread Postings biggrin

Last edited by epower; 11/26/21 08:22 PM.
#4586003 - 11/26/21 11:29 PM Re: OT - Amount of RAF Demobilization pay [Re: epower]  
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Shredward Offline
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Shredward  Offline
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Lake Louise, AB Canada
Gentlemen,
In Sagittarius Rising, Lewis tells us that he was admitted into the RFC in the spring of 1915, but then had to wait as he was only 17. After badgering the War Office, he was finally told to report to Brooklands on 15 November, with his AIR76 file having him actually report on 17 November. That same AIR76 file has him transferring to the Unemployed List on 30/01/19. (note the correct use of date format, as practiced in the civilised world).
Cheers,
shredward


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