British Army rates of pay 1914

As defined by War Office Instruction 166 (1914)

Minimum daily rates of pay for typical ranks or appointments of all arms. All rates in Shillings (s) and Pence (d).

IWM image Q60491. Pay parade of the 1/6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment in the field, 1916
IWM image Q60491. Pay parade of the 1/6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment in the field, 1916

Officers

Cavalry of the Line, Irish Horse, King Edward’s Horse and Yeomanry
Lieutenant-Colonel
29s 6d
 
Major
17s 0d
 
Captain
13s 6d
 
Lieutenant
9s 6d
 
Second Lieutenant
8s 6d
 
Quartermaster
11s 6d
 
Royal Horse Artillery
Lieutenant-Colonel
29s 9d
 
Major
18s 6d
 
Captain
15s 0d
 
Lieutenant
10s 6d
 
Second Lieutenant
9s 6d
 
Quartermaster
11s 6d
 
Royal Field Artillery and Mountain Artillery
Lieutenant-Colonel
28s 0d
 
Major
16s 0d
 
Captain
13s 6d
 
Lieutenant
9s 6d
 
Second Lieutenant
8s 6d
 
Quartermaster
10s 6d
 
Royal Garrison Artillery
  
plus Armament Pay
Lieutenant-Colonel
24s 6d
5s 0d
Major
16s 0d
3s 6d
Captain
13s 6d
2s 0d
Lieutenant
9s 6d
1s 0d
Second Lieutenant
8s 6d
*1s 0d
Quartermaster
10s 6d
0s 0d
* payable only if certified by Commanding Officer with regard to the Second Lieutenant’s technical efficiency
Royal Engineers
  
plus Engineer Pay
Lieutenant-Colonel
21s 0d
14s 0d
Major
16s 0d
9s 0d
Captain
13s 6d
4s 0d
Lieutenant
9s 6d
3s 0d
Second Lieutenant
8s 6d
*1s 0d
Quartermaster
10s 6d
2s 0d
* plus a further 1s 6d payable only if certified by Commanding Officer with regard to the Second Lieutenant’s technical efficiency
Royal Flying Corps
Wing Commander
38s 0d
 
Squadron Commander
33s 0d
 
Wing Adjutant
27s 0d
 
Flight Commander
25s 0d
 
Equipment Officer
24s 6d
 
Flying Officer
20s 6d
 
Assistant Equipment Officer
12s (some 12s 6d)
 
Quartermaster
12s 6d
 
These rates include flying pay if issued continuously
Infantry
Lieutenant-Colonel
28s 0d
 
Major
16s 0d
 
Captain
12s 6d
 
Lieutenant
8s 6d
 
Second Lieutenant
7s 6d
 
Quartermaster
10s 0d
 
Army Service Corps
  
plus Corps Pay
Lieutenant-Colonel
21s 0d
6s 0d
Major
15s 0d
4s 0d
Captain
12s 6d
3s 0d
Lieutenant
8s 6d
3s 0d
Second Lieutenant
7s 6d
3s 0d
Quartermaster
10s 6d
0s 0d
Royal Army Medical Corps
Lieutenant-Colonel
30s 0d
 
Major
23s 6d
 
Captain
15s 6d
 
Lieutenant
*14s 0d
 
Quartermaster
10s 6d
 
* Temporary Lieutenants serving under civil contracts receive 24s 0d per day
Army Veterinary Corps
Lieutenant-Colonel
30s 0d
 
Major
20s 0d
 
Captain
15s 6d
 
Lieutenant
13s 8d
 
Quartermaster
11s 6d
 

Warrant Officers, NCOs and men

Cavalry
 Household Cavalry
Cavalry of the Line
Corporal-Major or Sergeant-Major
5s 10d
5s 4d
Quartermaster Corporal-Major or Quartermaster-Sergeant
4s 6d
4s 4d
Squadron Corporal-Major or Squadron Sergeant-Major
4s 6d
4s 4d
Squadron Quartermaster- Corporal or Squadron Quartermaster-Sergeant
3s 6d
3s 4d
Corporal-of-Horse or Sergeant
3s 0d
2s 8d
Corporal
2s 8d
2s 0d
Trooper or Private
1s 9d
1s 2d
additional proficiency pay is payable if the soldier fulfils certain conditions as to service and qualification: rates 3d or 6d per day, according to proficiency.
Royal Artillery
 Horse, Field and Mountain Artillery
Garrison Artillery
Master Gunner 1st Class
6s 0d
Master Gunner 2nd Class
5s 8d
Sergeant-Major
*5s 10d
5s 10d
Master Gunner 3rd Class
4s 6d
Quartermaster-Sergeant
*4s 2d
4s 2d
Battery Sergeant-Major or Battery Quartermaster-Sergeant
*4s 2d
4s 2d
Company Sergeant-Major
4s 0d
Company Quartermaster-Sergeant
3s 9d
Sergeant
*3s 2d
3s 2d
Corporal
*2s 6d
2s 6d
Bombardier
*2s 3d
2s 3d
Gunner
**1s 2.5d
1s 2.5d
Driver
***1s 2.5d
1s 2.5d
additional proficiency pay is payable if the soldier fulfils certain conditions as to service and qualification: rates 3d or 6d per day, according to proficiency.
* plus 2d for Horse Artillery
** plus 1.5d for Horse Artillery
***plus 0.5d for Horse Artillery
Royal Engineers
Sergeant-Major
6s 0d
 
Quartermaster-Sergeant
4s 6d
 
Troop, Company or Squadron Sergeant-Major
3s 9d
 
Troop, Company or Squadron Quartermaster-Sergeant
3s 9d
 
Sergeant
3s 3d
 
Corporal
2s 6d
 
Second Corporal
2s 2d
 
Sapper, Pioneer or Driver
1s 2d
 
in addition to these rates, Engineer Pay is issuable dependent on qualification, from 2d to 4s 0d per day
Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing)
Sergeant-Major
9s 0d
 
Flight Sergeant
7s 0d
 
Sergeant
6s 0d
 
Corporal
5s 0d
 
Air Mechanic 1st Class
4s 0d
 
Air Mechanic 2nd Class
2s 0d
 
in addition to these rates, flying pay is issuable to a qualified first-class pilot at 4s 0d per day and to a qualified second-class pilot at 2s 0d per day
Infantry
 Foot Guards
Infantry of the Line
Sergeant-Major
5s 2d
5s 0d
Quartermaster-Sergeant
4s 2d
4s 0d
Company Sergeant-Major
4s 2d
4s 0d
Company Quartermaster-Sergeant
3s 8d
3s 6d
Colour-Sergeant
3s 8d
3s 6d
Sergeant
2s 6d
2s 4d
Corporal
1s 9d
1s 8d
Private
1s 1d
1s 0d
additional proficiency pay is payable if the soldier fulfils certain conditions as to service and qualification: rates 3d or 6d per day, according to proficiency.
Military Police
 Mounted
Foot
Sergeant-Major
5s 10d
5s 6d
Quartermaster-Sergeant
5s 0d
Squadron Sergeant-Major
5s 0d
Squadron Quartermaster-Sergeant
4s 6d
Colour-Sergeant
4s 0d
Sergeant
3s 10d
3s 4d
Corporal
3s 0d
2s 4d
Private
2s 2d
1s 9d
Army Service Corps
Sergeant-Major
5s 6d
 
Company Sergeant-Major or Staff Quartermaster-Sergeant
4s 3d
 
Company Sergeant-Major (Mechanical Transport)
4s 11d
 
Company Quartermaster-Sergeant (Mechanical Transport)
4s 5d
 
Staff Sergeant
4s 0d
NB: GHQ Army Order 165 of 2 October 1914 set the pay of a Mechanist Staff Sergeant of the Mechanical Transport at 7s 6d
Sergeant
2s 7d
 
Sergeant (Mechanical Transport)
3s 3d
NB: GHQ Army Order 165 of 2 October 1914 set the pay at 7s 0d
Corporal
2s 0d
 
Corporal (Mechanical Transport)
2s 6d
NB: GHQ Army Order 165 of 2 October 1914 set the pay at 6s 6d
Second Corporal
1s 9d
 
Second Corporal (Mechanical Transport)
2s 2d
 
Driver or Private
1s 2d
 
additional proficiency pay is payable if the soldier fulfils certain conditions as to service and qualification: rates 3d to 1s 8d per day, according to proficiency.
Royal Army Medical Corps
Sergeant-Major
5s 6d
 
Quartermaster-Sergeant
4s 6d
 
Staff-Sergeant
4s 3d
 
Sergeant
2s 8d
 
Corporal
2s 1d
 
Private
1s 2d
 
additional proficiency pay is payable if the soldier fulfils certain conditions as to service and qualification: rates 4d to 1s 2d per day, according to proficiency
Army Veterinary Corps
Sergeant-Major
5s 4d
 
Staff-Sergeant
4s 4d
 
Sergeant
2s 8d
 
Corporal
2s 0d
 
Private
1s 2d
 
additional proficiency pay is payable if the soldier fulfils certain conditions as to service and qualification: rates 4d to 1s 0d per day, according to proficiency
Army Ordnance Corps
Armament or Armourer-Sergeant-Major
7s 0d
 
Sergeant-Major
5s 6d
 
Armament or Armourer-Quartermaster-Sergeant
6s 0d
 
Staff-Quartermaster-Sergeant
4s 3d
 
Armourer-Staff-Sergeant (at depot)
2s 6d
 
Armourer-Staff-Sergeant (not at depot)
4s 6d
 
Armament-Staff-Sergeant
4s 6d
 
Staff-Sergeant
4s 0d
 
Sergeant
2s 7d
 
Corporal
2s 0d
 
Private
1s 2d
 
additional proficiency pay is payable if the soldier fulfils certain conditions as to service and qualification: rates 3d to 1s 2d per day, according to proficiency
Army Pay Corps
Staff-Sergeant-Major
5s 6d
 
Staff-Quartermaster-Sergeant
4s 6d
 
Staff-Sergeant
4s 0d
 
Sergeant
3s 0d
 
Corporal
2s 0d
 
Private
1s 8d
 

This schedule of rates was later revised (13 December 1915)

Links

A soldier’s life

War pay introduced

Paying soldiers who had been declared as missing

Rates of pay in the Canadian Expeditionary Force