CAREFUL CHECKING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20548, 7 May 1941, Page 6

CAREFUL CHECKING

CASUALTY LISTS METHODS IN ARMY NOTIFYING NEXT-OF-KIN (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The method of compiling army casualty lists and the precautions taken to ensure accuracy were explained by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, in an interview last evening. The Minister said that he was aware that some concern had been expressed by relatives of men serving in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force regarding what might be considered as undue delay in the notification of casualties. Because of the nature of the operations in which the New Zealand troops recently participated it would be readily appreciated that considerable disorganisation must have taken place, continued Mr. Jones. It was anticipated, however, that detailed information would be available in the very near future. •Mr. Jones emphasised the necessity for ensuring absolute accuracy in recording casualties. Following the most careful and rapid checking of the casualty lists, the next-of-kin were immediately advised and after a reasonable lapse of time casualties in the New Zealand forces overseas were released for publication. Establishing Identification

Delay may be caused by disorganisation of communications services. Extreme care in the compilation of the casualty lists had to be exercised by the various units and also by the Army Department in New Zealand. After returns were received at the overseas base they were carefully checked and then cabled to Army Headquarters, Wellington, where they were subjected to a further check to avoid the possibility of error during transmission.

Mr. Jones said that before telegrams were despatched to next-of-kin, extracts from the cablegram from the overseas base were compared with the details on the soldier’s file kept in New Zealand in order to avoid the possibility of a mistake in identification. After identification had been established a telegram was sent to the next-of-kin, giving all particulars then available as to the nature of the casualty. Inquiries by Relatives Much extra work was at times entailed for the department by people making further inquiries after receiving a telegram containing advice of a casualty. All information then available to the Army Department, however, was in these telegrams and next-of-kin would be advised as soon as any additional information was received from overseas. Reference was made by the Minister to eases of next-of-kin changing thenaddress and failing to notify the director of base records. Accordingly the tracing of these people was a difficulty experienced by the Army Department when advising next-of-kin 1 of casualties and of other circumstances connected with relatives on military service overseas. Next-of-kin, in their own interests, should keep the military authorities posted of their whereabouts.