BROKEN IN THE WAR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 291, 7 December 1929, Page 14

BROKEN IN THE WAR

“OLD CONTEMPTIBLES” VETERANS IN ILL-HEALTH UNABLE TO OBTAIN PENSIONS Living in one room in London, is a veteran “Old Contemptible,” Sergeant Robert Thornhill, late of the West Yorkshire Regiment, who was awarded the Military Medal by bis corps commander for great gallantry iu April, 1917. . Sergeant Thornhill rescued a wounded comrade from thc German wire, thus preventing the enemy from obtaining auy identification. The General extended “warm congratulations to thc sergeant, who, “at thc risk of his life, performed this gallant feat.” To-day this old hero suffers constant bad health, partly as th c result of a severe bullet wound in his spine, which he received on December 14, 1914, and partly as the result of malaria, from which he suffered in India and Burma, and he has no pension. Sergeant Thornhill was in hospital for three months with his wound, and there was an occasion during the war when, according to his wife, h c was told that h e could remain at home and be pensioned off. “He refused to do this,” say s Mrs Thornhill, “and went to thc Front once more. My husband has done his best for his country, and yet he has no pension.” It was nearly 30 years ago that Sergeant Thornhill enlisted—as far back as 1901 —and was soon fighting in the Boer War, for which hc earned the Queen’s Medal with. thre e clasps. He then went to India, and served in that country and Burma, for upwards of six years. He was mobilised for thc Great War and went to the Front with the “Old Contemptiblcs,” earning the Mons Star and fighting clasp, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.

According to his discharge certificates, Sergeant Thornhill not only has to his credit five medals and four clasps, but lig served for 12 years, 221 days with thc colours, six years 129 days in thc Army Reserve, was qualified as a Mounted Infantry Scout, and had his character assessed as “Exemplary; and honest, sober, and thoroughly hard working soldier.” A. et to-day this brave veteran, unprovided for by thc pensions authorities, and wrecked in health, has to exist on casual labour as best he can. His case went to Chelsea, and Chelsea refused relief for the usual trivial, technical reason: in other words, although Sergeant Thornhill is, in point of fact, ruined in health, he was officially not “Invalided.” The only thing against him is that he was discharged under the wrong paragraph of the King’s Regulations. That, and nothing more, writes “A.P.H. ” in thc Sunday News.

Another “Old Contemptible” who now finds himself outside the timelimit is Mr William Phipps, late Royal Welsh Fusiliers, Southall, Middlesex, who says: “Since October, 1922, I have been totally incapacitated and practically helpless. After having given the best of my life for my country I am now a cripple .from rheumatism, and I hav e no pension.”

Mr Phipps served 12 years with, the colours during hi s first period of service, including the South African War. He fought in all the arduous operations for the relief of Ladysmith, and earned the Queen’s Medal with two clasps. Hc was invalided home with enteric fever. H e re-enlisted for the Great War and went with reinforcements to the immortal 29th Division at the Dardanelles.

After the evacuation, Mr Phipps returned to the base at Alexandria, Egypt, then was attached to th c 37th Siege Battery, and finally was sent to France in time for the Somme offensive. H e was invalided home with bronchitis and on recovery was transferred t 0 thc Garrison Artillery. He went to the Front again in March, 1918, and fought in operations round Bethune and Ypres, taking part in the final offensive toward Ghent. Hc was then invalided onc e again with gastritis.

On demobilisation, Mr Phipps endeavoured to carry on at his work, until taken seriously ill with rheumatoid arthritis, and hc says, that ho has never been really well since then. His local doctor has certified that hc has been under treatment for rheumatoid arthriti s since June, 1919, “and has been unable for months at a time to move without assistance, and has been totally incapacitated for work since October, 1922. In my opinion, his disability is the direct result of exposure in the Great War.”

Mr Phipps says that ho applied for a pension in 1920 and was unsuccessful. H e appealed against this later, and was once again refused relief. Surely this is a case that might well b e considered, irrespective of hard-afid-fast time-limits.