120 YEAR AGO

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 274, 21 February 1941, Page 4

120 YEAR AGO

BRITISH ARMY PAYBOOK

LOCAL RESIDENT'S ANCESTORS

To have in his possession an army paybook belonging to the days of Waterloo and the Peninsular wars is a proud distinction of Mr Sam Brown, of Whalcatane, who yesterday brought in for our inspection the book itself together Avith other papers well over 100 years old. The paybook Avas the property of one John Pinkncy r a member of Corps of Royal Artillery Drivers, who Avas actually the great grandfather of the present holder. Details therein furnish an interesting sidelight into military matters of the day, not the least being the Avide differentiation in pay to the Wellingtonian soldier'compared Avit.h the modern infantt3 r man.

Apparently in the good old days prize money AA r as paid to eA'eryi individual survivor of a storming party responsible for the capture of any toAvn, fortress or other objective. For instance in driver Pinkney's paybook appears the item "To special pay, resulting from Battle of Waterloo £3 0s while for the capture of the small toAvn of Pau his share of the prize money amounted to 5%d.

The pay in all instances amounts to little more than Sd, per day though this amount varies slightly when on active service. It is noteworthy also that a complete change of uniform was provided annually and any destruction of property other than this was deducted from the! meagre weekly allowances. Thus in 1817, while still in occupation of France a new pair of ieatlier pantaloons if debited against the pay of Mr Pinkney for the month at 17s.

The paybook also tells-a story 01 the movements of the British troops* immediately after Waterloo, the various towns upon which the Artillery were quartered being as follows:— Lille (11 months), St. O'mer (three months), Valencienne (one month), Beuvrage (two months). The battalion arrived back in Chatham o,i October 13, 1818.

Apparently during tho Napoleonic wars the military authorities were not so particular as to height, for Driver Pinkney's attestation paper shows that he was a bare five feet and that he enlisted in 1804. The book is in excellent state of preservation the printing being clear cut and bold and the writing a model for many a modern scrivener.

Mr Brown also has in his possession his great father's marriage license dated 181? and a leather pouch which saw servico through the Spanish Peninsular wars and Waterloo.