In order to free younger men for service overseas the Army introduced Class W, Army Reserve, and Class W (T.) Territorial Force Reserve via Army Order 203 of 1916. This Class was also used for Boy Soldiers too young to continue serving in overseas combat zones.
Separately, Army Order 209 of 1916 introduced a bounty to be paid to those men who became time expired while on active service but who were compelled (or volunteered) to continue to serve for the duration of the war. Many men of the 9th Manchesters who originally attested (or re-engaged) between 1911-13 were eligible for this bonus and such payment, typically of £15, is noted in any surviving service or pension records.
A.0. 203. 1916.
Class W, Army Reserve, and Class W (T.) Territorial Force Reserve.-
1. Under powers conferred by Section 12 of the Military Service Act, 1916 (Session 2), the Army Council have decided to establish a new class of the Army Reserve, and a new class of the Territorial Force Reserve, for all soldiers whose services are deemed to be more valuable to the country in civil than in military employment. These will be designated Class W, Army Reserve, and Class W (T.), Territorial Force Reserve respectively.
2. Class W, Army Reservists, and Class W (T.), Territorial Force Reservists, will receive no pay or other emoluments from Army Funds, and will not wear uniform.
3. Such Reservists will be liable at any time to be re-called for service with the Colours, either individually or collectively, and by means of either individual or public notification.
4. From the time the soldier is transferred to the Reserve until the notification of his recall to the Colours is issued, he will not be subject to military discipline.
5. The Army Council will, from time to time, issue instructions, according to the military requirements, as to the individuals or classes of men to be transferred to Class W, Army Reserve, and Class W (T.), Territorial Force Reserve. The general procedure to be followed in dealing with such transfers, also the method of recalling the reservist to the Colours, will be published separately.
A.0. 209. 1916
Bounty to Soldiers retained in the Service or recalled to the Colours under the provisions of the Military Service Act, 1916 (Session 2), and to soldiers who have voluntarily undertaken to continue to serve, re-enlisted, re-engaged, etc.-
1.-It has been decided that a bounty at the rates stated in paragraph 2 below shall be paid to any warrant officer, non-commissioned officer, or man, whether serving on a Regular, Special Reserve, or Territorial Force attestation the depot of whose unit is situated in the United Kingdom, who-
(i) on the expiration of his current engagement (including the extra year under Section 87 (1) of the Army Act, or, in the case of the Territorial Force, Section IX. (5) of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act, 1907) is retained in the Service for the duration of the war, under the provisions of the Military Service Act, 1916 (Session 2).
(ii) has been discharged from the military service of 1916 the Crown since the commencement of the present war, on *TERMINATION OF HIS ENGAGEMENT, and is recalled to the Colours under that Act.
(iii) has already agreed to continue in the Service for the duration of the war under the provisions of Section 87 (3) of the Army Act and Army Order 252 or 253 of 1915 or re-engaged under Army Order 49 of 1916, provided that if he has already received a bounty under Army Order 86 of 1916 such bounty will be taken in diminution of the amount admissible under this Army Order.
(iv) has been discharged from the military service of the Crown since the commencement of the present war on *TERMINATION OF ENGAGEMENT and has voluntarily re-attested or re-enlisted for the duration of the war, or re-enlisted under the provisions of Army Order 79 of 1916 or may if liable to service under the Military Service Act, 1916 (Session 2), re-enlist before he is recalled to the Colours under that Act, or, not having attained the age of 41 years before the date appointed under the above-quoted Act, but being ordinarily resident in Ireland and not therefore liable to recall under its provisions, has voluntarily re-enlisted or may in future voluntarily re-enlist.
* The expression “TERMINATION OF ENGAGEMENT” wherever it appears in this Army Order shall be held to apply only to an engagement terminated under the provisions of King’s Regulations, paragraph 392 (xxi), (xxii), (xxiii), (xxiv), (xxvi) or (xxvii), or Territorial Force Regulations, paragraph 156 (1) or (2).
2. The bounty shall be at the following rates:-
(i) For a warrant officer, non-commissioned officer, or man, whose original engagement on his current attestation (or, in the case of a discharged man re-enlisted or recalled to the service, on the attestation from. which he has been discharged since the commencement of the war), was for a period of less than 12 years . . . . £15.
(ii) For a warrant officer, non-commissioned officer, or man, who has completed an original engagement of 12 years on his current attestation (or, in the case of a discharged man re-enlisted or recalled to the service, on the attestation from which he has been discharged since the commencement of the war) together with any subsequent period or periods of extension which do not bring his service on his last attestation (including the extra year under Section 87 (1) Army Act, or, in the case of the Territorial Force, Section IX (5) of the 1916 Territorial and Reserve Forces Act, 1907) to a total of 22 years . . . . £20.
Men of Section D, Army Reserve, come under this heading.
(iii) For a warrant officer, non-commissioned officer, or man, who has completed an original engagement of 12 years on his current attestation (or in the case of a discharged man re-enlisted or recalled to the service on the attestation from which he has been discharged since the commencement of the war), together with such extension as will, including the extra year under Section 87 (1), Army Act, or, in the case of the Territorial Force, Section IX (5) of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act, 1907, complete a total of 22 or more years on his last attestation . . . . £25.
3. In the case of a man retained in the service, or re-engaging, one-third of the bounty admissible as above is payable in cash on his commencing the extended period of service for which he is liable under the Military Service Act, 1916 (Session 2), i.e., on completion of his current engagement together with the extra year for which he was liable under Section 87 (1) of the Army Act, or, in the case of the Territorial Force, Section IX (5) of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act, 1907. The balance with interest at 5 per cent. is payable on the man’s discharge from the service, or will in the event of his death while serving be credited to his estate.
4. A man recalled to the colours or re-enlisted and entitled to bounty as above will be given the option of drawing the whole or any part of the bounty in cash on being called up, any balance then undrawn being paid with interest on discharge or death as provided in paragraph 3 above.
5. A man who has already re-enlisted, re-engaged or agreed to continue in the Service will become entitled to any bounty admissible under this Army Order, on the date of this Army Order, if the engagement on which he was serving at the commencement of the war (including the extra year under Section 87 (1) Army Act, or, in the case of the Territorial Force, Section IX (5) of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act, 1907) has expired. If it has not expired he will become entitled to the bounty on his commencing the extended period of his service, as in paragraph 3 above. The bounty will be issued under the same conditions as those laid down in paragraph 3, except that the £5 or £10 1916 due to a man who has already drawn £15 under Army Order 86 of 1916, will be paid with 5 per cent. interest on discharge, or on his death, as provided in paragraph 4.
6. A man who on being recalled to the service is at once passed into the Reserve or demobilized under the provision of Section 10 of the Military Service Act, 1916 (Session 2), will not be eligible for the above bounty unless or until he is called to the Colours for military service. A man who has been attested voluntarily shall not be eligible for the bounty until he is called up and finally approved for continuous service.
7. The provisions of this Army Order do not apply to any warrant officer, non-commissioned officer or man-
(i) Who was not serving on an Army engagement on 4th August, 1914.
(ii) Who, having attained the age of 41 years before the date appointed in the Act, is not liable for service under the Act, but may after the date of this Army Order, voluntarily re-enlist for the duration of the war, or on the termination of his engagement agree to continue in the service for the duration of the war.
(iii) Who is serving in or recalled to a unit whose depôt is outside the United Kingdom, except in the case of a soldier transferred from a unit whose depôt is within the United Kingdom, to serve with a unit whose depôt is outside. Further instructions will be issued regarding other men retained with the Colours under the Act in units whose depôts are outside the United Kingdom.
8. Army Order 86 of 1916 is hereby cancelled.
9. The privileges granted by Army Orders 49 and 79 of 1916 as regards re-engagement and re-enlistment to complete 21 years’ service with a view to pension will remain open to men dealt with in paragraph 1 of this Army Order, and their claim to the bounty granted by this Army Order shall not be affected if they re-engage or re-enlist under Army Orders 49 and 79 of 1916.
Note.
I.-
(i) Claims for bounties authorized by this Army Order will be rendered on Army Form W 3458. In the case of a soldier who has re-engaged or agreed to continue in the service, or who has been retained under the Military Service Act the claim will be rendered by the officer commanding the unit as soon as possible after the date on which but for such re-engagement, agreement or retention the soldier would have become due 1916 for discharge.
(ii) In the case of a soldier re-enlisted or recalled to the service the claim will be rendered by the officer commanding the unit to which the soldier is posted.
(iii) Army Form W 3458 will be forwarded in the first instance to the officer in charge records, who will transmit the form to the regimental paymaster accompanied by a statement on Army Form B 200 of the soldier’s service, including service on any previous engagement.
(iv) The paymaster will credit the soldier’s ledger account with the amount available for immediate payment and will, inform the officer commanding the unit that he has done so. No payment in respect of the bounty will be made to the soldier until the notification from the paymaster is received.
(v) Cash issues in respect of the bounty will be included with issues of current pay in Form I of the pay and mess book or on the acquittance roll, as the case may be. If the soldier is paid on the pay book the portion of the bounty available for immediate issue will be recorded therein.
(vi) The Army Form W 3458, with the counterfoil certificate from officer in charge records of entry in the soldiers’ documents, will be filed in a separate series in the pay office. The initial and final credits to the man’s account will be recorded on the Army Form at the time they are given.
(vii) Where a portion only of the bounty is authorized for immediate payment the charge against Vote 1 E will be supported by a reference to the Army Form, and to the per contra credit to Vote 1 C 2. The charge against Vote 1 E for the balance, or for the whole bounty if credited in one sum, will be supported by the Army Form itself.
II. The bounties referred to in the above Army Order are admissible for a man coming under paragraph 1, who on retention or rejoining the Colours is posted to an officer cadet unit with a view to obtaining a commission, but not to men who receive direct commissions (e.g., as temporary quartermaster, &c.), and are not therefore retained or recalled to the service as soldiers.
III. Supplies of Army Form W 3458 will be distributed to all concerned at an early date.