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Midlands hero soldier Luke Cole to get just £16 a week
Thursday 9th September 2010, 11:30AM BST.
Private Luke Cole is decorated with The Military Cross by The Queen at Buckingham Palace, for services in Afghanistan
A hero Black Country soldier awarded the Military Cross after being wounded in Afghanistan is to receive a military pension of just £851-a-year, it was revealed today. The pension adds up to £16 a week.
Wounded hero Pte Cole who will get a pension of £16-a-week
The award to Private Luke Cole, of Wolverhampton, has stunned comrades and outraged family and friends. He has still not settled his compensation claim with the Army for the injuries he suffered over three years ago.
Pte Cole was shot twice during the ambush in Afghanistan on September 8 2007. The first bullet hit him in the right leg, shattering the bone.
He crawled back into the line of fire to tend an injured comrade and was hit again two hours later while successfully preventing the Taliban from snatching the body of a dead comrade as a sick “trophy”.
The second bullet travelled down his body armour, tore into his hip and exited through his stomach. He has since had 13 operations and still requires treatment.
A regular Army private wounded alongside him in the same terrifying battle is understood to have received a pension worth hundreds of pounds each month.
The alarming discrepancy threatens to cost the 25-year-old – personally decorated by the Queen for his bravery – hundreds of thousands of pounds and may have far-reaching consequences for other soldiers on the front line in similar circumstances.
Wolverhampton South West MP Paul Uppal today vowed to take up the case with Defence Secretary Liam Fox, and said: “I am very concerned about this.”
Friends insisted Pte Cole had been told by the medical discharge board in Donnington, Shropshire, last year he would be discharged as a regular soldier and expected to get the full military pension that would have been based on 22 years service.
Pte Cole was serving with the regular army 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment (2 Mercian) when wounded, but was still officially a member of 4 Mercian, the regiment’s Territorial Army battalion based in Wolverhampton.
He has been treated as a member of the TA despite the fact he was shot during a 12-month tour of duty with the regular army unit he intended to join full time. As a result, his pension was based on two years and 238 days of service covering the time he spent with 2 Mercian in 2007 and with another regular army regiment on a tour in Iraq.
The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency in Glasgow announced the decision despite a written warning from an army officer that “a degree of expectation mismanagement” was in danger of turning a “satisfied soldier into a dissatisfied one”.
Mr Cole declined to comment today.
The Ministry of Defence said: “We are very grateful for Private Cole’s service and the MOD is in discussion with him over his compensation arrangements.
“We do not discuss the financial details of compensation awarded to injured personnel. However, both Regular and Reservist personnel are equally compensated for injuries sustained on operations.”
Special Report by John Scott
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i am outraged!!!
who decided his pension???
bin laden???
whoever did should be shot!!!
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And who told him to be a soldier?
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Well George in answer to your question….He decided to become a soldier to fight for his country! And what thanks does he get?? None! People who have never worked a day in there life will get a better pension than this brave young man who risked his own life so ungrateful oinks like you don’t have to.I for one am very grateful to him and wish him all the best in his future! SHAME ON YOU!!!
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this is disgracful,this lad has served his country and all we can pay him is £16 a week,he shold be 10 or 20 times that amount a week if not more.but yet we can find money to pay alyslum seekers,pay mp’s vast amount of money.they all should be ashamed!
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What a disgrace!
He’d get more if he’d just left school and hung around on street corners with the job dodgers.
This hero deserves a pension befitting of his service to our country.
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Here here!
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I wish the lad all the best. He would have been better off coming back as an asylum seeker. We all know they get preferential treatment.
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lol! yeah thats right , they are here strolling in and out all day like what we do when were on our hols, they must get plenty of benefit inc rents paid cos they ain’t got jobs (the several families moved near me anyway)and they drink loads – coming in with 3 and four bottles a day of brand name booze driving expensive cars, why would our boys and that’s wot they are boys, what insentive is there to go fight for our country when you see the treatment that they are getting and you hear the terrible conditions they have to fight in? no wonder there is few recruits. Well thanks to the pte Cole hats off to him lets hope he gets the money he deserves.
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WOW!! the ignoramus’strike again!!! “We all know they get preferential treatment”?? how do you know?? where is your evidence – and also think of the word asylum seeker, many of them are seeking asylum from war torn countries like Afghanistan and Iraq. I know there is a minority of “asylum seekers” who take liberties, but like i said its a minority. I have met many people from war torn countries who have been tortured, raped, families killed and have fled, i’m sure many people in the UK would do the same if they had to. and Deebee, many of them drive expensive cars because they DO WORK!! they are expolited by many employers who want to pay below the minimum wage.
Anyway back to the subject in hand. Really not good for this young man to be treated this way. Lisa Potts (no prejudice) gets compensation for the injuries she suffered for her heroic efforts and Luke deserves the same or at least a decent pension.
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Sorry that don’t wash. If you’re a genuine asylum seeker you would stop off at the first safe country. Instead these people travel half way round the world passing through other countries to get to us, with a different culture, language and religion, but the most generous welfare system and the softest asylum laws. You contradict yourself, you admit that many of these “poor” asylum seekers drive expensive cars (how many are insured and passed the test?), but that employers pay them minimum wage so how do they afford it all? I work and I can’t afford an expensive car
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Have you met an asylum seeker to justify your statement?
I admit i contradicted myself a little, what i meant to say is that there is a culture of asylum seekers and refugees who do drive round in expensive cars because they work round the clock to purchase a nice car, unfortunately they sacrifice decent housing and living conditions for the sake of having a nice car.
Its a shame however that many asylum seekers are stereotyped and vilified as getting preferential treatment – especially when it comes to state dependency. The fact of the matter is, Asylum Seekers dont have access to state benefits whatsoever… If they become refugees however they do. But people always get their facts wrong…there is a difference between an asylum seeker and a refugee and people really need to do their research first
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you should come around to court rd and have a look at what we have to live with, these so called assylem seekers have managed to buy a pub and turn it in to a mosque police and council have done nothing the caos it has caused total disrespect for the pepole who live there and we have to live with this
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quite right. there are enough iraqies here to form a small army, so why are they not sent back to fight for there country.
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Absolutely disgusting! hang your head’s in shame! He should be given £800 a week! A Real Hero!
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I agree wholeheartedly!
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This is ridiculous, Luke volunteered to serve his Country and this is how he is treated?
I know people who have sustained less injuries in civilian employment and have been awarded an hell of a lot more.
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You have to ask why this lad was fighting for britain anyway, he suffered an injury in a war that has nothing to do with us. He’s now a subject of ‘rip off britain’ and most of the iraqi’s are over here getting more in benefits in 6 months than his pension is worth in 12 months. Bring them all back over here and start cleaning this country up first.
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Er, I think you’ll find that this hero was shot in Afghanistan not Iraq. Plus the war there does have something to do with us. All of us. The treatment of this hero by our system is a national disgrace. I bet the terrorists are laughing at us.
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Yes it does have something to do with all of us. In the end it will mean more oil supplied to the rest of the world without the worry of the Taliban blowing up the pipe lines…Or is it terrorism we are fighting????
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He would have been better off not serving at all. God bless him and I wish him well but I wouldn’t want any of my kids to even think of joining up for this country to fight in a useless war. Our war heros have never been looked after, even after the falklands. They are cannon fodda for our government to do as they please then they are disgarded because they are no use anymore. Hope you fair well Luke Cole and get on well in a normal life that will reap far more benefits than military life ever could.
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yet again millions sent in overseas aid in the last few weeks and our own are treated like this shame on the country
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Just about sums up this sorry excuse of a country to be honest!!
Suprised??? No!! Disgusted??? Yes!!
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It’s why I left 20 years ago!!
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DISGUSTING!
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Injured soldiers today are well looked after by the tax payer I would question again the media’s reporting the full facts.
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Having served my country for 20-odd years I can honestly say that words fail me in this instance! Let’s get some MP’s on the frontline
so they can experience what our boys go through, and let them have a squaddies wage whilst they’re doing it! Whoever made this decision should hang his head in shame.
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To state that this matter is outrageous is a complete understatement. It actually measures the contempt with which both Parliament and the MOD have for all our youngsters who are currently ‘Keeping the UK safe’ ( a continually repeated statement which in itself is total Bunkum )
Perhaps Blair would like to send the lad a few bob, having taken the country to war illegally and now profiting by becoming a best selling fairy story writer.
The whole thing stinks to high heaven, it is a result of allowing our country to be run by liars and cheats and will only be resolved when people take matters into there own hands. The sooner a modern day Cromwell stands up the better.
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Actually the war in Afghanistan isn’t illegal, it’s a multi-national effort endorsed by the UN. It’s unfortunate that due to the woefully shallow reporting by the British media most people believe that only the USA and UK are involved, when many other countries are there too.
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The amount quoted is for occupational pension for the number of days spent in the Armed Forces. All personnel injured in service receive full compensation through the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme. This is paid through a tax-free lump sum of thousands of pounds and can include a monthly tax-free payment for life. All personnel are equally compensated for injury and medical discharge.
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme has recently been reviewed and work is underway to get all recommendations into legislation by February 2011. When that is done the vast majority of personnel who have claimed under the Scheme since it was introduced in 2005 will receive an uplift to their payments. The Review is available in full at http://www.mod.uk
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Had this been some town hall / Whitehall desk jockey who had their feeling hurt because they were asked to do a days work, they would have got hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation, instead because this guy put his life on the line for this country he is treated as an idiot and is paid peanuts.
This situation wont change until there is a mass resignation of our armed forces.
I am totally disgusted!!!!!
Jim of Bearwood
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MOD is perfectly correct! … this brave Soldiers pension rights are based on his seniority! … the time he served under the colours. The Territorial Army has served Britain superbly in times of conflict and has formed the backbone of it’s military force. However it does do well to air these circumstances publically in view of the fact that they are serving in a conflict that was precipitated by lies and deception and waged for geopolitical reasons……….
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Oh, get over it. This isn’t about what you feel about our war, it’s about what we ALL owe to this lad and thousands like him!
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to think several months ago mps got away with there expense claims and this lad who served his country get 16.00 per week something is wrong somwewhere
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one word ‘disgusting’
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My great grandad was seriously injured (mustard gas) in WW1 and got nothing, but 9 kids to look after.
they lived in abject poverty and its still affects the family generations later. Only now are we starting to free ourselves.
None of the family since has joined up since this happened.
The working class people of this country are considered Canon fodder. Always have been always will be.
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People should get their facts right and read before they write.
The Afganistan War is UN run and there is nothing illegal about it or deceptive about it and it is for the sake of human kind. Our troops are out there fighting for a good cause and the last thing they need is people making claims they hardly know nothing about.
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If you think that it’s for a good cause, you must live in cukoo land. the reason we went was not the reason that we are out there now. this is a unwinable war where lot’s of lives will be lost for nothing. The drug’s we are supposed to be stopping are still going through Iran & Pakistan every day, the infastructure is so corrupt right to the top. The money we are paying to the Taliban YES the Taliban in composation run’s into Million’s, this is why GB & USA are in such a negative econamy & we are all going to suffer the outcome of the cost not only of the war but the amount of money to rebuild & support for year’s to come. So Remeber when we are all loosing money it’s not because of Blair or any outher MP, but the fault of us suppoting the USA that have taken on the job of policing the world. this war is not only wasting young lives but money as well, that could be better spent. Why do we get involved if they want to fight and kill each outher let them.who helped us in Northern Island, Certainly not USA who Most in America thought were modern day Robin Hood’s, & sent millions of dollars for weapon’s. well I have gone on a bit but I have been there.
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If this story is true it is discusting !!!
I hope the E&S will fully track the outcome of this and inform the public & not bury it in the back pages -As for the outrage keep it up contact your MP
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Dont forget once he has this sorted if he has to rely on benefits as some of the wounded soldiers have had to do once back in civvy street the new campaign to demonise disabled benefit claimants will mean he is almost guaranteed to fail the tests for any benefits according to ATOS the official guard dog, sorry, watch dog of the DWP.
Terminally ill, wheelchair bound and seriously mentally ill people are being removed from benefits by this government because they find it easier to target the weakest in society rather than go for their rich tax evading backers.
Tax evasion costs this country £70 billion according to the world bank, benefit fraud and errors by the dwp cost £3.1 billion yet which do you think the government are waging war on?
Incidentally they need to make savings of £50 billion over the next 3 years, if they went after the tax evaders they could fix it in one fell swoop….. makes you think doesnt it? Or it would if they didnt keep feeding the press stories of how benefit fraud is the root cause of all the problems in this country and not let everyone know how they are starving the weakest and least able in the country.
DO you care about this or will you turn your backs on them as well?
Black Triangle Campaign.
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It is a sad fact that soldiers are perceived by the military to be dispensable. That’s why in America, soldiers are called GI’s (General Issue)
The army appeals to youngsters on the basis of being someone, seeing the world, be with mates etc. The reality is that, once injured, they are disposed of asap because they don’t want up and coming recruits to see the results. After the Faulklands, Simon Weston was discharged smartish.
I have no objection to being in the army to defend the country from a direct threat – ie first and second world war – but today our soldiers are being sent to areas of no threat just to please the ego of politicians. Politicians, by the way, who would never allow their children into the army.
Conclusion: If you have half a brain, don’t join the armed forces, unless you want to lose the half brain you have. You only get sent into harms way by some self-serving, vain glorious politician with an ego to feed.
Luke can forget about receiving any more money. The poor chap has been suckered in and put on the scrapheap like all soldiers from 1066 to the present.
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Ex-pat based in America. Over here the falg is flown with pride , the treatment those who put their life on the line for what is often complicated and confusing to most of us is to behold. They wear the uniform with pride , head held high and they are never forgotten. I do not know what their entitlements are but Im sure they get more of a finacial payback than the brave guys and gals who fly the flag of the union. Those among you that defend this have no understanding of the disciplines of a soldier must undergo to be exposed to such risks ,maybe more should be talk to the true victims of this bloody and impossible war…
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Let’s hope that when this war is lost, which it will be that they treat the x service’s better than when they lost in Vietnam.
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’21′ It maybe a UN run war but WE do not have to be there in greater numbers than our so called European partners. Indeed, we can not afford the cost, in lives, the disabled legacy or the overall financial cost.
Perhaps You could name the Good Cause you mention. Is it to engage the enemies of Israel as far from their front door as is possible ? or to prevent Albert from being blown up in Queens Square ? In terms of human suffering we are most certainly more than sharing the suffering and sacrificing young innocent lives in your Humane War.
Our forces are more than capable of drawing their own conclusions as to their deployment and after 22 years, I can assure you that the majority are certainly not supportive of your
silly naive comments.
Sadly Pte Cole is but the tip of the Afghanistan iceberg. His sad experience is a small example of under funding and a lack of humane care toward those suffering from a unnecessary campaign.
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“However, both Regular and Reservist personnel are equally compensated for injuries sustained on operations.”
Yep, it’s obvious having read this.
Black Triangle Campaign above sums up a lot of my sentiment. This soldier who put his life on the line for this country gets given a pittance whilst bankers get away with screwing this country into a whole for decades. Fight a war for this lot, and their agenda? Forget it.
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He should just sign on for DWP benefits and claim “back pain” or “stress” and wait for the handouts to roll out. That’s where the crackdown should be.
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he wont be able to claim a penny because he is entitled to this pension, I know I was blown up in the first gulf war and had 30% burns to my lower body and have server PTSD, and for the last 20 year all I can claim is incapacity at the middle rate winch is 78 per week and DLA at the lower rate at £18 per week to keep me any my wife and a 15 year old child. I am unable to have any rent or council tax benefits or any other state benefits because I get a pension which is now worth £45 per week as it counted as a secondary income.
this is not a isolated case there are hundreds of ex service personal living on the streets of the uk.
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