War Wounds lead to Death – Twenty Years After – Man’s Collapse – Shock for Wife

December 1938

Mexborough and Swinton Times December 9, 1938

War Wounds lead to Death
Twenty Years After
Conisborough Man’s Collapse
Shock for Wife

Gun-shot wounds received on active service more than twenty years, ago were stated at a Conisborough Inquest on Monday to, have been responsible for the death from tuberculosis of an ex-member of the Liverpool City Police and of the Scots Guards.

The inquest was conducted by the Doncaster District Coroner, Mr. W. H. Carlile, upon James Chapman; surface worker, employed at Cadeby Colliery, 34, Athelstone Road, Conisborough, who died on getting up to go to work on Thursday, December 1st.

The Coroner returned a verdict that the cause of death was cardiac failure and tuberculosis, “which were, the result of gun-shot wounds received on active service.”

Mr. Carlile commented, “He had been in the Police Force and then passed for the Guards, so he must have been fit.”

Off Work for Five Weeks.

The widow said her husband was recently off work for five weeks with sciatica and he began work again on November 30th. .

When he got home he said he had had an easy shift He went to bed at 01-30 and was intending to get up for work at 4-50 a.m. About 3-50 they both woke up and talked until it was time for him to get up. Her husband got up and fell to the floor. He said nothing. He had made no complaint at all before he got up; in fact, they were laughing and joking. He was receiving a disability pension of 24s. as he was shot through the lung during the war. She knew her husband had been in a sanatorium before they married.

Sixteen Months in Hospital

Tom Chapman, miner; 23 March Street, Conisborough, said his brother at the beginning of 1914 joined the Liverpool City Police Force, and in 1916 enlisted with the Scots Guards with whom he served in France. In October, 1918, he received a gunshot wound in the right lung and he was in Eastbourne Hospital until February, 1919. On leaving hospital he rejoined the Liverpool City Police Force and served until the end of 1919. He then came to this district and, worked at Cadeby Colliery’ as a stone contractor. He gave up the work in consequence of haemorrhage of the right lung and went away for treatment at a sanatorium, on leaving which he received a disability pension. Witness said his brother had perfect health before going to the war.

No Trace of Wound

Dr. P. Milligan said a post mortem examination revealed a tuberculous condition and death was due to cardiac failure and tuberculosis. Answering the Coroner, witness said there was no trace of a wound internally.

The Coroner: Do you think the tuberculosis was the result of the gun-shot wound ?

Dr. Milligan It seems a reasonable theory to me. It is obvious the Ministry of Pensions are not going to pay 24s. a week unless it is necessary.