I imagine most officers must have had bank accounts. But what about the common soldiers, were they paid a lump sum at the end of their service? Or were they paid monthly? If so how did the process work? Also how common was it for money to be lost or payments forgotten, due to the chaos of the war and the flux of the front?
I am interested in Germany, the UK, Japan, America, the USSR and Italy; so any answer for one of these nations is welcome.
For American soldiers pay was about 50 a month paid once a month. A disbursing clerk would travel to the various positions with ledgers an old mechanical calculator and a whole bunch of currency Soldiers in the U.S. or pacific got dollars soldiers in Britain got pounds. He was usually quite well guarded by several armed soldiers. The men would line up and he would figure out each mans pay.
If troops were in combat for several months the pay would build up and they would receive 3-4 months of pay in a single installment. If you became a POW your pay was frozen and when freed you would receive a reimbursement. Seems like it was 76 cents per day if I remember correctly.
This Forum has answers from veterans concerning their pay during WW2.
At least in Sweden, a majority lacked their own bank accounts until the 1970s, when employers pushed for direct transfers of pay though bank transfers. Swedish soldiers were supplied food and housing and allowed a small pay for personal expenses. A soldier with a family got extra pay.
All this money was paid weekly or at a 10 day interval, in cash, by the company clerk.
An industrial labourer made about 10kr per day during this era.
A soldier would get 1kr per day, plus 2-2,50kr for a wife, 1,25-1,75kr per family member over the age of 16 and 0,85-1,05kr per family member under the age of 16. The varying numbers are depending on where the family lived (some places had less living costs, and the soldier would thus get less family reimbursement).
The soldier could also get extra pay for rent, but this was tried in each case while the family reimbursement was automatic.
As a comparison, a regimental commander would get 15 000kr per year, a Captain 4 266-5 610kr per year and the Supreme Commander 24 000kr per year.
The German army had the same system - they paid a small sum of money, extra pay for a dependent family and paid it every ten or thirty days.