§ Mr. MALONEasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Private J. W. Thompson (alias Pettit), No. 587,747, 4th Battalion the Northamptonshire Regiment, Territorial Association), fell from the riding horse attached to a transport wagon while serving with the Territorial Forces in August, 1928, and subsequently died; and whether, in view of the fact that at the inquest held the coroner's jury returned a verdict that death was due to peritonitis after a fall from a horse, he will explain upon what evidence his medical advisers based their decision that there was no connection between the accident and the peritonitis from which Private Thompson died, and why his widow was refused a pension?
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§ Mr. SHAWI have already had this case under my consideration and have been in communication with my hon. Friend about it. The opinion of my medical advisers that there was no connection between the accident and the peritonitis was based on the medical evidence given at the inquest and on the report of the post-mortem examination, and I much regret that in the circumstances the award of a pension is not permissible under the regulations.