§ Mr. JOHN WARDasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has received the promised Report as to the circumstances of the fatal shooting of Private Allen J. Cole, of the 12th Lancers; and, if so, will he communicate its nature to the House?
§ Mr. TENNANTI will reply to the specific points asked in the hon. Member's original question. It is, I regret to say, the case that Private Cole was accidentally shot on the 7th instant. The telegram to his father was in these terms: "Your son accidentally shot, come at once." The verdict of the jury was "accidentally shot," and Lance-Corporal Wheeldon was exonerated from all blame. The accident took place about 2 p.m. Three-quarters of an hour previously the rifles both of Private Cole and Lance-Corporal Wheeldon had been inspected by an officer and washed in boiling water. The presence of a live cartridge in the rifle cannot be accounted for, as, although some old live cartridges had on one or two occasions been found on the range, none had been picked up by Lance-Corporal Wheeldon. 1613W The inquest was under civilian arrangements, and the case was reported in the papers. I am informed that the suggestion that the Press were requested to keep all reference to the case out of their papers is without any foundation.