§ MR. J. P. FARRELL (Cavan, W.)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that Francis Caffrey, regimental No. 3804, 1st battalion Royal Irish Regiment of Foot, enlisted in the British Army a few months before the outbreak of the Crimean War, that he served for 14 months in the trenches before Sebastopol, assisting the Sappers and Miners to 903 blow up the Russian docks at Canvalena, during which time he constantly risked his life from the fire of Fort Constantine; that he received three flesh wounds, the marks of which are on him now; and is in possession of the medal and clasp from Sebastopol; whether, although now an old and feeble man of 62 years of age, he is left to go into the workhouse or die of starvation, his application for a pension not being even replied to; and will anything be done to help him?
MR. POWELL-WILLIAMSFrancis Caffrey did not enlist until November 1854; and was discharged in 1857, after a service of 2 years and 112 days, on the reduction of the Army, and as being unlikely to become efficient, in consequence of constitutional ill-health, neither caused nor aggravated by his service as a soldier. There is no record of his having been wounded; and in his discharge documents he is stated to have had no scars or marks on his body; his claims have been repeatedly considered and rejected by the Commissioners of Chelsea Hospital, who, after replying four times, informed Caffrey that no further reply would be given; the regulations do not provide a pension for such short service.