FAMILY'S WAR RECORD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20130, 15 December 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

FAMILY'S WAR RECORD.

SEVEN SOLDIER BROTHERS.

FRED CUNDELL'S PLIGHT.

VICTIM OF TUBERCULOSIS

VETERAN. WITH NO PENSION,

One of seven brothers who haye fought valiantly for King.and Country, Mr. 1' red Cundoll, lato .Northamptonshire Regiment, of tho Papworth Village Settlement, Cambridge, now finds himself, alone of the seven, he says, stricken with war disablement, tho dreaded, tuberculosis. The family record, says a writer in a London paper, is a remarkable one, and may bo quoted as evidence, additional to that given by doctors, of the fact that Cundoli's disablement' is due to war service and net Heredity. His eldost brother, Ernest, served for some 25 years in the Royal Navy, including the period of the Great War, and attained tho rating of Chief Petty Officer. Horace had finished 12 years' service in 1907, and is understood to have served in the Great War. Sidney served in tho South African War and all through the Great War, and both attained tho rank of sergeant. Leonard, tho youngest, also served through the Great War. At ono time, in 1906, five of tho brothers were serving together in India in ono and tho same regiment, tho Ist Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, the famous " Steolbacks,." and it is grCatly to bo doubted whether this record.has ever been equalled in tho' Army. When Cundell -was himself discharged as " no longer physically fit for war servico in February, 1916, the servico of himself and brothers totalled, inclusive of Reserve service, 122 years.. A Pension that Vanished. Fred Cundell enlisted at Bury St. Edmunds, in November, 1898, at the aire of 18 years 4 months, and served all through the South African War, earning tho Queen's Medal, with three clasps, and tho King's Medal, with two clasps. He afterwards went to India, and finishod. his colour service at Jullunder, being ini* mediatelv transferred to tho Army Reserve. lie was still on the Reserve at the outbreak of tho war and was recalled to the colours, and sent to France. Ho was very badly wounded on December £l, 1914, in the left arm and left leg, and his arm' underwent contraction. Cundell was brought homo to hospital in Lincoln/ and remained there for 14 2 months, being finally invalided with a temporary pension. Ho had added to his two Boer War medals, tho 1924 Star, the British War and Victory medals—a total of five. He also has the silver war badge. Tho pension which Cundell received never as much as £l-was insufficient to keep -Cundell, his wifo, and three children, and so as soon as ho was able he struggled to find work. His pension was reduced at periodical medical boards, and finally vanished in 1921. Yet it was at this very time that Cundell's cenera! health was rapidly failing, so that he had at last to give up his work. He was afflicted with bad chest trouble, and his wounds also were a source of worry, and finally ho was admitted to tho Papworth Tuberculosis Colony, where lie has now been for three years. A medical certificate referring to Cundell states that in October, 1925, " the distribution and nature of tho physical signs denoted pulmouarj tuberculosis of long standing. Irony of Officialdom. Tho Pensions Ministry has steadily refused to consider Cundell for further pension He is " too lato " under both headings—outside the seven years' timo limit in respect of tuberculosis, and barred by the Final Awards timo limit in respect of war wounds.

At the close of 1925 Cundell was fold that, despite the latter embargo, ho was still eligible to bo considered for treatment in respect of his " pensionable disabilities." A fortnight later a printed slip was sent informing lnm that no treatment is at present necessary." Twice subsequently tho same information has been sent him. This kind of official irony has pursued Cundell all along. Nothing, apparently, has ever been said to him about the much-advertised " Correction of Errors ' scheme in respect of his two severe war wounds, or about tho extension of the timo limit in " exception " cases in respect of his tuberculosis.

But for tho care and attention given him at Papworth Hall, his plight must have been desperate indeed. Even as it is, his wife and children aro compelled to struggle along as best they can on a small charitable allowance granted by a society. This is the reward for a twicewounded man, who has given, in all 17 years' servico to his and who lias earned fivo war medals. " Can Never Work Again."

This case is specially hard for two reasons. The first of them is explained with striking sarcasm by an official of Papworth Hall in tho following words:— " Mr Cundcll's discharge from the Army took placo moro than seven years before his claim in respect of tuberculosis. Therefore, ho is ineligible to claim. His discharge was premature by reason of the fact that he was wounded. Therefore, his wound provents him from getting a pension for tuberculosis.

"Tho tuberculosis prevents Mr. Cundell from getting a pension for his wound, because it is held that sinco lie is wholly disabled by tuberculosis ho suffers no financial disability becauso of his wound. Iwo disabilities equal in soverity and opposite in nature thus neutralise each other! " Tho pain which ho suffers cannot be relieved by any special form of treatment, which is outsido the scope of an institution where ho is wholly maintained under medical care."

Tho second reason why Mr. Cundell may consider himself tho sport of fato is that, with his long service, ho might havo been drawing for many years now a permanent service pension if only ho bad been granted, in respect of one or other of his disabilities, a permanent disablement pension assessed as low as 20 per cent.—that is to say, two pensions. But he has nono!