Veterans' Terry Walker fury

8:47am Monday 30th July 2007

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A WAR veterans' association has blasted the Government's treatment of Terry Walker's grieving family - and called for a full inquiry.

Shaun Rusling, of the Veterans and Families Benevolent Association, said he was "disgusted" with the Ministry of Defence's "despicable" attitude towards the late Gulf War veteran's parents.

The Press reported on Saturday how MoD bureaucrats had demanded that Terry's devastated father should pay back pension money which was paid into his account after his death. Terry, who was 48 when he died, was invalided out of the army in 1992, a year after serving in the Gulf War, his health in ruins.

For the next 15 years, his life was blighted by post-traumatic stress disorder and a range of other problems, including swollen joints and legs, blinding headaches, rashes and aches. In 1998, he was granted a 100 per cent war pension, but just before Christmas last year this was dramatically cut - to only 40 per cent.

Following his death, the war pension was stopped altogether and his army pension was also stopped on the grounds he was divorced.

Now The Press is campaigning to make both his army pension and war pension transferable to his two children, and for his full 100 per cent pension to be reinstated.

Mr Rusling said of the latest move by the MoD: "It is no way to treat a grieving family and I find it absolutely despicable.

"These people in suits who don't have to face the bombs and bullets are being paid to stab the soldiers in the back, and the MoD should be totally and utterly ashamed of themselves.

"What they have done is to add insult to a tragic event and it beggars belief. When Terry passed away he must have thought his problems were all finished with, but it continues and it is his family who are bearing the brunt."

Mr Rusling said he would be calling on the Government to conduct an investigation into the treatment of Terry's family.

He said: "I hope there is a full inquiry into what has happened and I will be writing to the Minister for Veterans to demand it.

"This mess needs to be sorted out here and now because Terry has left two children behind and they have nothing."

York MP Hugh Bayley, who has already raised Terry's case in the House of Commons, said he would continue to back our campaign to bring Terry's family justice.

He said: "I have asked the minister to review Terry's case and I will continue to press for justice."

Hundreds of readers have now signed our petition and more can back our campaign by signing the online petition at www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/campaigns/terry/petition/