A FORMER intelligence officer who served in the Second World War is visiting the UK this week to take part in Remembrance Day services, and to also convince the British government to give her back her pension.

After 13 years of living in Canada, Anne Puckridge, 89, is being forced to leave her family and friends and return to England.

Mrs Puckridge, who lived in Stroud for more than 35 years, moved to Calgary in 2001 to be with her daughter Diane, and grandchildren Kirsty, 11, and Andrew, nine.

However, due to the government’s policy on pensions for those who live abroad in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada, she is now unable to financially support herself and must return home and live a ten-hour flight away from her immediate family.

Along with half a million other expatriates, her state pension was frozen when she emigrated, and currently receives only a percentage of the standard UK pension.

Mrs Puckridge joined the Women’s Auxiliary Corps in India in 1942 at the age of 17 – lying about her age in order to sign up.

From there she moved to the Air Force before joining the Women’s Royal Navy in 1944.

At this point she was sent to Bombay to serve in the Naval Tactical Unit in charge of war-time coding as part of the war effort in the Pacific.

Now, she is being forced to leave her family and home, and come back to the UK in order to survive.

“It is unfair and immoral, and I can’t believe they have allowed for this to happen especially for those living in Commonwealth countries,” she said.

"I worked until I was 76, far beyond retirement age and made contributions to my pension my entire working life and now the Government has decided they won't give me my own pension.

"It has left me in a position where I feel I need to come home as I don't want to take charity from the Canadian Government as it is not their responsibility to provide for me.

"Hopefully this week I will be able to make some progress but the only definitive answer I am able to get from the Government is that there is no chance they are going to change the policy."

Having worked from the age of 17, Mrs Puckridge would receive £110.15 per week had she stayed in Britain.

As a result of living in Canada she receives just over £43 a week.

  • This story has been edited as the information given to the SNJ was incorrect. It hs now been clarified that Mrs Puckridge receives £43.60 per week of her pension.