Government staff paid off as war effort winds down

Many Government employees in Stirling, who had been working for the war effort, found their posts axed.

The Observer told of a `big pay-off’at the town’s Public Hall which had been taken over by the Ministry of National Service. Two months earlier, 300 mostly women and girls were employed there but with the war at an end, that figure was down to 100.

`Ordinary’ employees received a week’s wages in lieu of notice and heads of section picked up a month’s salary.

Those left were needed for winding down the operation and preference was given to soldiers’ widows, wives of soldiers on service, discharged soldiers and dependents.

However,as the Observer pointed out, there was some `heart burning’ about the principle on which certain employees had been retained and others discharged. By New Year, it was expected few if any would be left.

Government staff who had been working at Viewforth had already lost their jobs although the Medical Board was continuing there. It was now focusing on pension claims from soldiers.

Viewforth was also to be taken over by the Ministry of Labour in connection with the task of finding employment for discharged soldiers.

There had also been job losses among staff who had been based at the Stirling Smith which had been used by the soldiers’ uniforms mending department.

Similar redundancies had occurred at the boot repairing department at Stirling’s Ordnance Stores, although most staff employed at the stores were to be kept on. `There will be plenty of work there for a considerable time to come,’said the Observer.

*** And also on the homefront, L/Cpl John Wallace, A&SH, whose home was in Woodside Place , Cambusbarron and who before the war worked in the Ordnance depot, died in Stirling Royal Infirmary from pneumonia. He was home on leave from Kinsale, County Cork, when he was taken ill. He had been in the Army for 16 months and left a widow and a child. He was granted a military funeral.

‘Big pay-off’ at town’s Public Hall