§ Lieutenant-Colonel ARCHER-SHEEasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Lieutenant H. O. Barber, Gloucestershire Regiment, was torpedoed at sea in steamship "Umgeni"; that the widow was granted a pension of £100 a year and £24 for her child from 10th November, 1917, but that the gratuity of £140 and £46 13s. 4d. for the child, which would have been granted had this officer been killed in action or died of wounds, has been refused on technical grounds; and whether he will now take steps to have Article 11, Sub-section (1), of the Royal Warrant amended so as to remedy this obvious anomaly.
§ Sir J. CRAIGThe information supplied to the Ministry by the Admiralty, through the Colonial Office, points to the conclusion that the "Umgeni" was not lost through an enemy attack, but that she foundered in a storm. The circumstances1168W of Lieutenant Barber's death enabled the Ministry to award his widow the highest rate of pension, but by the terms of the Royal Warrant, she is not entitled to a gratuity in addition.