CASUALTY LISTS

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 138, 8 December 1916, Page 7

CASUALTY LISTS

CAUSES OF DELAY IN ISSUING THEM.

The following statement regarding reports of casualties is issued with the authority of the Minister for Defence (the Hon. J. Allen): —

"For some weeks negotiations have been proceeding between the Defence Department and the London Headquarters of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force to formulate a- system by which casualties to our soldiers may be cabled here as expeditiously as possible, and regular progress reports of seriously and dangerously wounded cases forwarded periodically.

"During the heavy fighting in the Somme great difficulty was experienced by the various units* of the N.Z.E.F. in obtaining information of their casualties. Official lists of casualties are not compiled until the units have been withdrawn from the trenches, and as during the recent fighting the A*ew Zealand units were in the trenches for twentythree days, the delay in receipt of casualty reports and possible inaccuracy was unavoidable. The Defence Department j. is advised that in many esses no definite information will be available until the reports of the Courts of Enquiry are received, as was the case after the severe fighting at Gallipoli. "The' delay in replying to messages of enquiry has been largely caused because so many soldiers have been transferred to different units since their departure from New Zealand that tbe old 'bar number' is of little value in locating the soldier. Arrangements are being made to have a register showing tiie latest transfers kept at the N.Z.E.F. Headquarters in London, so that this delay sball not recur. It has also been arranged to cable soldiers' admissions to hospitals, advising the name of the hospital, the nature of the wounds, and whether these- are slight, serious, or dangerous. This information should help to allay the anxiety of next-of-kin, who previously have had to wait until tiie official reports had been received in London from France and cabled out here some considerable time after the casualty had taken place.' Regular progress reports will be sent about all soldiers who are reported seriously or dangerously wounded, so that next-of-kin not receiving any message may rest assured once they are informed of the name of the hospital where their kinsman is located that he is either convalescent or progressing favourably. These reports are to be sent fortnightly from New Zealand hospitals in England, and as regularly as possible from British