Canadian
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 189
- Location
- Alberta, Canada
My grandfather Colonel W.R. Warwick told me this story (he's since deceased and is off in Heaven).
There was a young officer who came from a position of privilege. He volunteered for WWII and fought overseas. He figured because he volunteered and his parents were sending him money every month to get by, he had no concept that he was owed any money by the army. My grandpa heard he was sitting in the Officers Mess after the war and a lady came up, and handed him a check for quite an impressive sum.
I wonder how many people would volunteer if financial support were not part of the equation. When this young man joined, uniforms were paid for out of pocket if you wanted a special cut, and you had to fill out massive amounts of forms to get issue kit. My dad (Captain D.W. Warwick) said that when my great-grandfather was in the Service, only enlisted men were given free uniforms, and when WWII rolled around, uniforms were a mishmash of WWI kit, private purchases and for the lucky few, Canadian, brand new battledress.
When I was an army Cadet, (think ROTC) my basic uniform (dress) was paid for by the government. I got a shirt, pants, parade boots, a belt, a tunic and a beret. And two pair socks. However, my unit participated in regular field exercises so I had to buy (at my own expense) a combat uniform (Pattern 82 battledress), a parka, ,wooly-pully sweater, combat boots, hat, gloves, scarf, tees (they give them away at summer camp) and socks. I was responsible for purchasing at my own expense every item of personal kit. No wonder some of the boys turned up in civilian hiking and camping gear. It simply, for many people who had to beg and borrow enough to keep from freezing, was a great expense. So much for the Cadets as being an option for lower-income boys who want to learn about the army and the outdoors.
It's funny how these things work out. My pay at army Camp was 60/week. I think I made more than a Colonel in WWII.
Tom
There was a young officer who came from a position of privilege. He volunteered for WWII and fought overseas. He figured because he volunteered and his parents were sending him money every month to get by, he had no concept that he was owed any money by the army. My grandpa heard he was sitting in the Officers Mess after the war and a lady came up, and handed him a check for quite an impressive sum.
I wonder how many people would volunteer if financial support were not part of the equation. When this young man joined, uniforms were paid for out of pocket if you wanted a special cut, and you had to fill out massive amounts of forms to get issue kit. My dad (Captain D.W. Warwick) said that when my great-grandfather was in the Service, only enlisted men were given free uniforms, and when WWII rolled around, uniforms were a mishmash of WWI kit, private purchases and for the lucky few, Canadian, brand new battledress.
When I was an army Cadet, (think ROTC) my basic uniform (dress) was paid for by the government. I got a shirt, pants, parade boots, a belt, a tunic and a beret. And two pair socks. However, my unit participated in regular field exercises so I had to buy (at my own expense) a combat uniform (Pattern 82 battledress), a parka, ,wooly-pully sweater, combat boots, hat, gloves, scarf, tees (they give them away at summer camp) and socks. I was responsible for purchasing at my own expense every item of personal kit. No wonder some of the boys turned up in civilian hiking and camping gear. It simply, for many people who had to beg and borrow enough to keep from freezing, was a great expense. So much for the Cadets as being an option for lower-income boys who want to learn about the army and the outdoors.
It's funny how these things work out. My pay at army Camp was 60/week. I think I made more than a Colonel in WWII.
Tom
