UDR 'Widow' Refused Pension

The endless heartbreak of losing a loved one to terrorism is being compounded for a Londonderry woman who has been refused an army pension because she and her murdered partner were not married.

Father-of-three David Caldwell, a former UDR soldier, died after picking up a bobby-trapped lunchbox packed with explosives at the Waterside TA base he worked in, almost six years ago.

His long-term partner Mavis McFaul said the Ministry of Defence has told her she does not qualify for his pension and to compound her grief, she said she is struggling to get by on income support.

"It's terrible. I'm sitting here in the house and I've a mortgage over my head and all I'm getting is £79 a week," Ms McFaul said.

"That's what I have to live on, to pay for oil and groceries for me and the wee girl."

The grieving 'widow' said "that money isn't important" but had to admit that "it is when buying groceries".

She has been twice told by welfare officers that she would be getting the army pension, and twice waited for almost two years to receive payment, only to be told, on enquiry, that she wasn't entitled to the payment.

Foyle MP and MLA, Mark Durkan has taken up the case and has called on the MoD to act with sensitivity.

"Here is a woman and a daughter who have lost someone in a terrible atrocity," Mr Durkan said.

"The issue that the MoD would be relying on will appear to them to be grossly insensitive and almost a bit of a 'gotcha clause' where they're looking for an excuse not to pay."

Last year, a coroner praised the bravery of Mr Caldwell. The 51-year-old, who was from the Waterside area, died in hospital after being killed by the IRA booby-trapped lunchbox at Caw Territorial Army base in August 2002.

An inquest heard how, despite his injuries, he was able to give police information about what happened.

The hearing in Limavady was told Mr Caldwell's last words were that he loved his family.

(BMcC)