Originally Posted by
Cornish Jack
Interesting note of '50s pay rates earlier in this thread. I joined in December '53 at 28/- per week!!, not per diem, and remained thus for about 6 months until we started flying, when we rocketed up to 42/- per week. Bear in mind that that munifence was abated by 'Barrack Damages' and other subtractions. 20 years as a Master reinforced the notion that it was the best rank in the RAF, if not the Services as a whole! Moving thence to British Airways (and afterwards to Virgin) emphasised just how bad the pay rates had been.
CJ
Did you start as a National Serviceman or a Regular?
As a Boy Entrant in 1952, our pay was 2/6 a day.
After 12 months service this increased to 3/6 a day.
If, during Boy's service one attained the age of 17 years 6 Months one went to the minimum regular 'man's' rate of pay for an AC2, which was 7/- a day.
These rates do not indicate what was actually paid!
When on 2/6 a day, one received 10/- a week.
When on 3/6 a day, one received 15/- a week
When on 7/- a day one received £1.00 a week.
The difference was accumulated as 'credits', this was paid out prior to each of our 3 leave periods. Those over 17½ often received vast sums, some over £20.00!
There were as you say, the 'debits' such as the dreaded barrack damages. One problem a Boy faced was the dreaded command to, 'Get a new Blue!' We didn't wear battle dress, we had 2 'Best Blues', (buttons to clean every day) one kept for parades and walking out, the other one as our working blue.
The cost of a Blue was more than a quarters clothing allowance, so the difference was deducted from what we were paid. This could mean drawing as little as 2/6 a week until the debt was paid.
This leads to another story; a Boy who had been drawing 2/6 a week for some time, was reprimanded for a somewhat lackadaisical salute at Pay Parade. To which he retorted, 'What do you expect for half a crown, a bl**dy march past?'
I forget if it was 7 or 14 days jankers that he got.