ROYAL MESSAGE OF SYMPATHY

Southland Times, Issue 24421, 29 April 1941, Page 4

ROYAL MESSAGE OF SYMPATHY

Approval Given By The King

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 28. The Governor-General, Sir Cyril Newall, has announced that the King has approved the despatch of a Royal message of condolence to the relations of members of the fighting services who have lost their lives on active service and also to relations of the personnel of the Mercantile Marine and fishing fleet whose deaths have resulted from enemy action during the present war. The Royal message will be on notepaper bearing the Royal Coat of Arms and a facsimile of his Majesty’s signature. It reads as follows:— “Buckingham Palace. “The Queen and I offer you our heartfelt sympathy in your great sorrow. We pray that your country’s gratitude for a life so nobly given in its service may bring you some measure of consolation.”

His Excellency stated that the conditions of issue were in accordance with his Majesty’s wishes and were identical with those operative in the United Kingdom and other parts of the British Commonwealth. Generally speaking the Royal message would be despatched immediately after official notification of death had been given by telegraph to the relations.

His Excellency also stated that the message would be sent at an early date to the relations of those men who had died in circumstances qualifying for the despatch of this message and whose deaths had been officially notified. Inquiries by relations about the Royal message should be made to the following authorities: New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, the Naval Secretary, Navy Office, Wellington Cl; 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force, the Director of Base Records, Victoria street, Wellington Cl; Royal New Zealand Air Force, the Air Secretary, Air Department, Wellington Cl; Mercantile Marine, the Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington CL