An employee with five or more years of credited service whose employment with the Town is terminated for any reason after the effective date and prior to the attainment of age 55 and who elects to leave his own contributions in the plan shall be entitled to a deferred retirement benefit payable according to the provisions of Article
XVIII, §
51-51, hereof. An employee with less than five years of credited service whose employment with the Town is terminated (excluding terminations caused by the death of the employee) shall be entitled to the return of his own contributions to the plan together with compound interest at the rate of 5% per annum.