Saturday 12th July 1919

The War Office wrote to Thomas Whitaker, father of the late 2Lt. Samuel Whitaker (see 25^th June) who had died from ‘influenza and broncho-pneumonia’ shortly after returning home from Italy in February, requesting further detail as to when he had been attended by his doctor; there was some doubt as to the entitlement to an Army pension. Thomas Whitaker would reply within a few days, having secured a written statement from Dr. H. Stewart Brander: “I was called to see the late 2Lt. Samuel Whitaker on Wednesday morning, February 19^th. I found him seriously ill, suffering from a severe attack of influenza with right-sided septic pneumonia. On February 22^nd both lungs showed extensive pneumonia due to streptococcal infection from which he died on 26^th February. When I first visited Lt. Whitaker on 19^th February he informed me that he felt distinctly ‘out of sorts’ when he was at Clipstone and during the railway journey from Clipstone to Keighley on February 17^th he felt distinctly ill and had to go to bed two hours after his arrival home. I have no hesitation in saying that Lt. Whitaker died from double pneumonia complicating influenza contracted on active service”. Mr. Whitaker added that, “I shall be glad to hear that the question of the pension to the widow, the rank service gratuity and the remission of the 30s. state death duty have been further considered”.

A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Harry Bradshaw (see 12^th January 1918), who had been killed in action in September 1917; his father, Harry, was awarded 5s. per week.

A payment of £1 16s. 3d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. George Edward Milner (see 28^th November 1918), who had been officially missing in action since November 1917; the payment would go to his married sister, Clara Clapham.