Canada's Second World War veterans say the harsh sounds of combat damaged their ears and Ottawa should pay for their hearing aids, but Veterans Affairs argues there is no proven link.

John McNaughton can clearly remember the sounds of artillery fire exploding around him on one particularly violent evening.

"When the barrage started that night, there were 2,400 guns shooting at once, and that went on for 24 hours," he told CTV News.

But the Department of Foreign Affairs will not compensate him for his hearing aid.

Greg Thompson, the veteran affairs minister, has only said his department will revisit the issue to ensure it has made the right decision in the health dispute.

"I think we have favourable decision making on most of those (issues), but we'll always have areas that we have to look a little harder at and we're always prepared to do that," said Thompson.

Nova Scotia NDP MP Peter Stoffer believes there may be hundreds of veterans like McNaughton who are caught in the same bureaucratic decision, including Canadians who fought in the Korean War.

"If we want to provide the care and concern that the veterans should have, the DVA should be honouring their requests and give them the hearing aids or the pensions they require," said Stoffer.

Audiologist David Lyon said he alone has 20 patients who are veterans, and whose combat experience is likely directly related to their hearing loss.

"It's affecting their lifestyle," he said.

"They're not hearing their grandkids. Or they may be hearing them, but they don't know what their grandkids are saying."

This week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he would create an ombudsman specifically for veterans, along with a veterans' bill of rights.

The bill of rights has already taken effect and allows the government to respond quickly and fairly to any concerns of veterans.

The ombudsman, who will operate at arm's length from the government, will report annually to the veterans' minister and Parliament.

"Our veterans have given their very best to Canada, and our government is taking yet another step to ensure Canada does its very best for them,'' Harper said earlier this week.

But the ombudsman position has yet to be filled.

With a report from CTV's Craig Oliver in Ottawa