§ 74. Colonel HOWARD-BURYasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Mr. F. H. Wren, 12, King's Road, Chelmsford, No. 631,844, gunner, Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery, who was told that his gratuity of £15 was deposited in the Post Office Savings Bank, and since then nothing further was heard from the War Office until, on writing to inquire about this £15 in February, 1930, he was told that no trace of this deposit could be found, and that because he had not received a communication from the Comptroller it was his responsibility to write and inquire, and that they could do nothing further about it; and whether, seeing that the £15 was definitely paid in by the War Office for this man, he will reconsider this case?
§ Mr. SHAWI have recently been in communication with the hon. and gallant Member regarding this case, and I much regret that, as I hate already explained 751 to him, it is impossible to accept Mr. Wren's claim which has been put forward after a lapse of some 10 years.
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYBut is it not unfair that the War Office should try to throw the responsibility for this on the man when really the War Office are responsible for informing the man as to the place where the money had been paid?
§ Mr. SHAWI have already explained to the hon. and gallant Member that all records of the payments in connection with these cases are destroyed after being kept for three years, and that we have no records to justify the statement he makes.