A RETIRED senior military commander has spoken of the “unimpeachable integrity” of a two-star general on trial accused of dishonestly claiming an allowance to send his children to Dorset boarding schools.

Major General Nick Welch is on trial at Bulford Military Court accused of one charge of falsely claiming £48,000 to pay for his children’s boarding schools between December 2015 and February 2017.

The prosecution states that the 57-year-old had applied for the allowance on the basis that both he and his wife, Charlotte, would not be living close to the children’s schools in Dorset.

Former Commander Joint Forces Command General Sir Richard Barrons attended the court martial hearing to provide a character reference for Welch, who he worked alongside in the late 1990s as military assistants for the Chief of General Staff.

Sir Richard said that Welch’s role required “unimpeachable integrity as we were dealing with the most sensitive issues of the future of the Army”.

He added: “I established he was a committed and diligent officer, he was wedded to the Army as a profession and a vocation.

“He was rightly ambitious. He was also very much a family man.”

Sir Richard added: “At no time in my association with Nick Welch have I ever had any cause to question his honesty and integrity.”

Retired General Sir Kevin O’Donoghue also provided a statement to support Welch in which he said: “I have a lot of time for Nick Welch, he was a very good commanding officer and good leader and a good manager, and there was never any reason to question his integrity otherwise he would never have got to two stars.

“I think of Nick Welch as someone who was totally honest, in old-fashioned speech, he is a stand-up chap.”

Retired Lieutenant General Sir Simon Mayall said in a statement read to court: “I think he has a good moral compass, very committed to the Army.

“I have no doubts about his professional and personal integrity.”

Part-time judge David Mason QC said: “When Nick told me of this upcoming court martial I was in utter shock, Nick and Charlie are two of the most honest people I have ever met.”

The Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) was claimed by Welch to allow their children to stay at the £37,000-a-year Clayesmore School and the £22,500-a-year Hanford School.

The payment, which covers 90 per cent of fees, is aimed at allowing children of service personnel to remain at the same schools to enable their serving parent to be accompanied by their spouse as they are posted to different locations.

But the prosecution claims that Welch’s wife actually spent most of her time at the cottage in Blandford Forum, Dorset, close to the two schools rather than at their stated military accommodation in Putney, London.

Sarah Jones QC, defending, has told the court that the CEA rules were a “mess” and the defendant and his wife had not acted dishonestly.

Welch denies the charge and the trial continues.