CASUALTY INQUIRIES
Private Cables To Middle East • Headquarters . NOT TO BE TRANSMITTED ■ :• ‘ _____ ■; <( ' ’ \ ~i ’j ■■ ■ ■ !:■•••• i■ ■ ■'> i i •,.. A statement that .post offices in future would not be permitted to accept private cablegrams 'for transmission to Headquarters, Second N.Z.E.F., Middle ‘ East, requesting information about . casualties, < was: made yesterday by the Minister of Defence,' Mr. Jones. He said that this decision has been made by the Government because of the numerous private requests of this nature sent to headquarters and to individual soldiers. No restrictions, however, were being imposed on the sending of cables to individual members of the Second N.Z.E.F. in the Middle East. Mr. Jones said that though he ex-
plained last January that all inquiries about casualties addressed to the headquarters of the Second N.Z.E.F. were not answered direct t but were referred back by mail to . Base Records, Wellington, it appeared , that many relatives., and friends ?of soldiers serving in the Middle East were not aware of the-position-■ • Base'Records,' Wellington, had . the necessary organization to do the work that was not possessed : by the N.Z.E.F. • Headquarters, whose function r was. merely to advise Base Records immediately particulars of casualties’-' were ’ available;
Though the . Government was . imposing nd restrictions on the sending of cables to individual members of the Second N.Z.E.F. in the • Middle East, said Mr. Jones, it was desirable that people:: should • know that in the 'case of inquiries, regarding the welfare of a soldier other than a recipient of the inquiry, the censorship - regulations in the Middle East prevented any replies being sent except statements < that the soldier concerned was “safe, and well.” This restriction was found to be necessary due to the fact. that a great deal of inaccurate information regarding casualties was previously eent in private ‘ messages, ' with the result that very considerable’ anxiety and confusion was caused.
It was also, necessary that the public should understand that as Headquarters, Second N.Z.E.F., was unable to answer private, inquiries regarding individual soldiers, ■ individual members of the Second N.Z.E.F. who received cables asking for .information about casualties could not refer such inquiries' to Headquarters with a view to obtaining the transmission of an official reply. Post offices -had now been . instructed to warn ( intending senders of. such cables' before accepting / themi for dispatch overseas, in order to make doubly sure' that the position .■ was fully understood.' • The , Minister said that .he would, like to stress once again that relatives and’friends of. soldiers overseas could rest assured that the Government had taken every conceivable step to ensure that accurate particulars were ' forwarded at the earliest possible moment from Headquarters, . Second N.Z.E.F., to Base Records, and that the information was passed on by Base Records to next-of-kin with the utmost expedition..
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Bibliographic details
Camp News, Volume 3, Issue 137, 28 August 1942, Page 4
Word Count
453CASUALTY INQUIRIES Camp News, Volume 3, Issue 137, 28 August 1942, Page 4
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