| Reason for Loss |
Judges summary comments following his widow's attempt to claim an RAF pension: "The Squadron Leader was a man of just under 50 years of age when he re-enlisted in September, 1939, having served during the last war. On re-enlistment he was found to weigh just over 14 stone and to have an abnormally high blood pressure. It is a condition recognised as an advanced degree of arterial-sclerosis, which is a progressive disease of the circulatory system. He was passed fit for Administrative and Special Duties, Home Service only, and was in fact made Station Administrative Officer at an airfield in this country. In that position during 1941 and 1942 he became the Adjutant to a Training Wing at a new airfield at some distance from amenities for sport, and in that position he became responsible, amongst other things, for the recreation and welfare of the air crews under instruction. The airfield had no sports ground, and the only facility for games, apart from billiards, was a squash court provided by the Air Ministry. The facts show that the Squadron Leader took a keen interest in squash and other games and was a man who was very keen on keeping himself fit by taking energetic exercise, and encouraging others at the station to do the same. The Group Captain in Command at one stage appointed him Officer in Charge of Squash. He thereupon organised games of squash and arranged games for the personnel of the station, and thereby helped to improve the general condition of the personnel at the station. That was the position down to the 12th September, 1942. He then became Acting Station Commander, which increased his duties, and on the 21st November, 1942, being Acting Station Commander, he took part in a game of squash at about 5 p.m. in the afternoon. Shortly after the game was over he was overcome and died within two minutes of the doctor being summoned. The Tribunal have found that his death was due to coronary thrombosis brought about by the game of squash in which he had been engaged. The Tribunal have further found as a fact that his condition of arterial-sclerosis had not been aggravated by the previous games of squash in which he had taken part, but that his condition was such that there was always a liability when he was engaged in violent exercise of his having an attack such as he in fact had on the 21st November, 1942." |