All news on this page courtesy of the The Telegraph Newspaper, London, UK

16/April/1998

Rare tumour killed Gulf veteran

By Paul Stokes

A FORMER Army Intelligence officer who carried out secret missions during the Gulf war died from a rare tumour six years later, an inquest heard yesterday.

The hearing into the death of Andrew Ross, 33, was adjourned in an attempt to find out more about his work in the Army. His family believe the growth was caused by his service in the Gulf, which involved using high-powered telephone equipment. Mr Ross died on April 10 last year, but the cause of the tumour has not been established.

Dr Hiam Ali, a pathologist, told the hearing how Mr Ross developed a growth on his forehead in 1995 and suffered headaches, chest pains and breathlessness. He died in hospital from "a very rare malignant tumour" that had obliterated the chest wall and caused a small amount of collapsed lung. Dr Ali said there was a link between radiation and high-powered telephones.

Mr Ross served in the Army between 1983 and 1992, reaching the rank of sergeant before leaving to join the police. Roger Whittaker, the West Yorkshire Coroner, said he was adjourning the case in order to gather more information on the exact nature of Mr Ross's job.

Mr Ross's widow, Jacqueline, of Huddersfield, said after the hearing: "I am working to prove there is a link between my husband's death and his service in the Gulf war. I don't want there to be any cover-up, so it's up to me to go away and continue to find more."