A CRUEL CASE.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR."] wonder how many of us at the beginning of the war realized the position in which a large number of badly wounded men would had themselves. Here is a case which I know, and I have heard cf others equally bad, or even worse. A friend of mine was an Oxford undergraduate when the war broke out; he had plenty ti ability, and in all probability would have secured high honours and a good post afterwards. He took a commission in the first month of the war, was rapidly promoted, distinguished himself in action, and was mentioned in despatches, and for what he did was given his majority before ho was twenty-one. Ho was badly wounded in both legs, and has spent many months in hospital. • A Medical Board has recommended him to join relatives abroad for the sake of his health, and there is every hope that on his return, though a cripple, he will be able, on regaining the requisite health, to qualify for some pest in professional life. But six weeks ago he was Wormed that he would be gazetted out of the Army in consequence of the unfavourable report of the Medical Board, and when the notice appeared he found that his gazetting out was considerably antedated, and was informed by his bankers that he had to pay hack .1:90. No gratuity has been given or
promised; he has merely had two-thirds of a wound pension of £50, renewable year by year, for a wound suffered nearly two years ago. This mulcting comes just at the time when ho has to equip himself with the requisites of civil life. He goes straight abroad from his hospital without a convalescent home ,between. It is probably all in accordance with regulations, but we do not want official regulations to be an illustration of the truth of the saying, Qui sort sa patrie, sert un ingrat.—I am, Sir, &c., 0. N.
[We deal with this letter in our leading columns.—ED. Spectator.]
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