204687 Gnr. Matthew Baxendale British Army 9th Reserve Royal Field Artillery from: 23 Argyle Street, Darwen I am currently tracing my family tree and have come across a great grand father, Matthew Baxendale, who served as a Gn. in the RFA. I have his pay books, which show that my grand father enlisted at the age of 25 yrs. and 6 months on 9th December 1915. He was paid 1 shilling tuppence ha'penny from 15/6/1917 and had 6 pence per day taking off, under the heading "Deduct Voluntary allotment/compulsory stoppage". The lines for Voluntary and compulsory are one and the same so I do not know the actual reason for the stoppage.
A new page was pasted in over the original which shows he was then paid 1 shilling 6 pence per day from 3/1/1918, with no stoppages; this includes three pence for proficiency pay and also ha'penny to make up the minimum up the Army Order. On the new page there are separate lines and entries for deductions.
I can only trace records via the pay book to show that my grandfather disembarked to France on 5/7/1917, he was paid, on average 10 francs per week. He appears to have had leave to the UK for 15 days from 21/12/1917 though three subsequent entries suggest that he may still be in England on the 25th February 1918 as two rail warrants were issued.
The next entry 27/4/1918 shows a Field payment at No 13 Convalescent Depot.
He continues to receive his pay in the field up to 16/8/1918 when he receives 20 francs. For some reason the next entry is dated one month later and is stamped 15 Oct 1918 admitted to No 7 Convalescent Depot. From this date he receives regular field payments; again there is a rubber stamped entry which is a little smudged. From this stamp all that I can decipher is that my grand father was sent "To Rest Camp 08 Nov".
The last payment shown in the pay book is dated 13/12/1918 for 50 Francs.
I would like help in locating the area/towns where two convalescent Depots were located, namely number 13 and no 7 Convalescent Depots.
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