100 widows of veterans die as pensions fight goes on

THE battle to win back lost heroes’ pensions has shamefully come too late for more than a hundred of Britain’s “forgotten” war widows who have died waiting.

The Daily Express called for 300 widows to win back their £ 7,500a- year pensions after they were stripped of them for remarrying.

In February new Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer gave his support, only to make a shocking U- turn weeks later.

Now as the sixyear fight for justice continues, we can reveal 107 of the 300 are believed to have died. The chair of the War Widows’ Association, Mary More land, is urging Defence Minister Ben Wallace to support the remaining 193.

The furious campaigner said: “It’s over three months since Mr Wallace set out proposals suggesting this would be resolved in the summer.

“Yet it’s almost November and then it will be Christmas and soon, disgracefully, it will be a six whole years since this campaign for justice began. I contacted Ben Wallace’s office again last week asking for an immediate meeting. They haven’t responded. I am so frustrated.

“I am finding it so difficult to get a meeting or conversation with him.” Since 2015 spouses have been allowed to keep their war widows pension, even if they remarry. But the 300 who wed before then were left out, despite their pensions only costing £ 3million a year. Mary said: “It’s wrong there is a hierarchy of war widowhood.”

Last night the Ministry of Defence said: “There are no plans to retrospectively instate war widow pensions but we are considering alternative methods to help support the widows affected.

“The Defence Secretary is happy to meet to discuss the issue.”