The chair of military charity UK4U Thanks!, who died suddenly earlier this month, shot himself in a dispute over charity funds, according to national newspaper reports.
A statement released on the charity's website said that David Martin, chair of the charity and a retired brigadier, had died unexpectedly on 2 March.
A report in the Mail on Sunday claimed that Martin had shot himself following a dispute over £300,000 used to set up the charity in 2005, and quoted from a letter it said had been circulated on social media by his widow.
The report said the charity had faced legal action over money put in by a third party to set up the organisation, and that Martin's widow said he feared he would be a "sacrifical lamb" in this dispute and lacked the "resilience and energy" for a prolonged dispute.
UK4U specialises in delivering “festive cheer” in the form of Christmas present boxes to the UK’s armed forces – described as a “gift from the nation”.
A statement on UK4U’s website said: “It is with great sadness and grief that the UK4U trustees learned of Brigadier (Retired) David Martin’s unexpected death on Monday 2 March 2015. David had supported the charity since 2005, when he was a serving brigadier in the army and advised the trustees on the content of the Christmas boxes and how the MoD could assist in the distribution.
“In 2009, the trustees invited David to join the charity as a director and trustee and we were delighted when he accepted. He became the chair of UK4U, and he represented the charity’s interests with great enthusiasm and dedication. He always gave prudent advice to the trustees, who respected his wise business knowledge and discretion.
"He will be greatly missed by the UK4U team, and our thoughts are with his wife Diane and son Will at this very distressing time.”
The Charity Commission confirmed that it was approached by the charity for advice about the dispute in 2012 but said its involvement was "very brief".
"We advised them that it was a matter for the trustees and their legal advisers," a spokeswoman for the Commission told Civil Society News. "We have had no involvement since then."
