henry

Pay Day

Trainings for volunteers were held ... 1) twice weekly on the nights of weekdays 2) one weekend per month and 3) in-camp training for 10 to 14 days once a year.As volunteers, attendance were not compulsory, unlike the national servicemen whereby they would be charged with AWOL (absence without leave) for not turning up. It was on a pay-as-you-attend basis.

We took turns staying behind during their trainings, making sure that they did a proper book-in and book-out on the attendance books. At the end of the month, their attendances would be consolidated and typed onto official pay sheets. At that time, computer was unheard of. Painstakingly, I  would type their names, ranks, date of attendance ... etc over and over again every month on an old typewriter. For someone who was not trained as an admin clerk, typing with just four fingers was really a torture. For calculator, keyed in the numbers, pulled down the handle by the side and the numbers would be printed on the paper, only to realise that the roll of paper was at its end. After everything was finalized, the pay sheets were submitted to the camp pay-master.

Pay day was held on the first week of the month. Money will be issued to the officer-in-charge of that platoon to be distributed out. Not everyone turned up on that day. After dismissal, we need to stay back, did some additions and subtractions, filling up forms and unclaimed money to be returned to pay-master the following day.

So, as a pay clerk, I was busy only at the begining and at the end of each month. For the next 2 weeks, I would have practically nothing to do.