MR. BOSCAWENI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether it was a rule of the War Office that Crimean and Indian Mutiny veterans who had served 10 years and had been discharged with good characters should be entitled to pensions; and, if so, why Corporal William Calver had been refused a pension, although he had served 17 years and 339 days with the 58th Foot from 1858 to 1868, and with the 54th Foot from 1870 to 1878, and in the interval in the Army Reserve, taking part in the Indian Mutiny in 1858, and being discharged for disability with a good character in 1878?
§ MR. WOODALLNo man of only 10 years' service can claim a pension, but a limited number of compassionate pensions have been awarded to men who, having served not less than 10 years in the Army, had a medal for a campaign before 1860 and wore in distressed circumstances. William Calver, whose case the hon. Member has mentioned, had not a modal, and his Army service had only been from 1858 to 1861 in the 58th Foot, and from 1861 to 1868 in the 54th Foot. His case consequently does not fulfil the conditions for the grant of a pension for life. On his discharge from the Reserve, in 1878, he was granted a temporary pension of 11d. a day for 51 months.