HC Deb 07 February 1940 vol 357 cc191-2
16. Brigadier-General Spears

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has been able to make arrangements for a telegraph service to the British Expeditionary Force?

Major Tryon

Yes, Sir. I am pleased to say that by arrangement with the War Office and the Air Ministry a special telegraph service will be available from Friday, 9th February, for private messages of an urgent nature to and from officers and men serving with His Majesty's Army and Royal Air Force in France. With the generous co-operation of Cable and Wireless, Limited, similar facilities will be provided for messages between other parts of the Empire and France, and also for messages to and from members of His Majesty's Army and Royal Air Force serving in places abroad other than France. As the details are rather long and complicated I will, with my hon. and gallant Friend's permission, circulate them in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following are the details:

Telegrams for troops abroad should be addressed in the same way as letters. The addresses will in most cases be lengthy, varying from 8 to 12 words, but as a special concession they will be transmitted free of charge. The rate of charge for the message itself will be 2½d. a word with a minimum charge of 1s. 3d. for six words in the case of telegrams between this country and the British Expeditionary Force in France, and 5d. a word with a minimum charge of 2s. 6d. in the case of telegrams to and from other parts of the Empire. The time of transmission of telegrams to members of the British Expeditionary Force will, of course, depend upon the conditions prevailing abroad; in some cases messages will be delivered the same day, while in others it may take up to 48 hours to effect delivery.

Thanks also to the initiative of Cable and Wireless, Limited, members of the Dominion and Colonial Forces while in this country will be able to send telegrams to their kinsmen in the British Empire overseas at the rate of 5d. a word with a free address. Telegrams accepted under this arrangement must be handed in personally by members of the Forces in uniform.

The services referred to above will be available to and from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, India, Burma, Newfoundland and colonies, protectorates and mandated territories. The extension of the arrangement to and from Canada is still under discussion.

I ought to mention that the transmission of telegrams to officers and men serving in His Majesty's Ships presents special difficulties. All telegrams addressed to His Majesty's Ships, c/o G.P.O., London, are, as far as possible, forwarded to their destination by telegraph if the ship is in home waters; but it is unfortunately impracticable, for reasons of security, to provide a telegraph service to His Majesty's Ships serving abroad. Messages for such ships can normally only be forwarded abroad by post; but persons desiring to send messages of exceptional urgency or importance may submit them to the Admiralty, where their transmission will be considered in the light of their urgency or importance and the opportunities available for their transmission at the time.

Another problem arises in connection with the long and detailed addresses which are necessary in the case of inland telegrams to members of His Majesty's Forces in camps or barracks in this country. I have decided, in order to avoid the hardship of payment at the normal rate for such long addresses, that for charging purposes the address in all such cases should count only as five words. This concession will take effect from 9th of February and will be applicable for the duration of the war, to any inland telegram addressed to a member of His Majesty's Army, Navy or Air Force, including Auxiliary Forces and medical and nursing staffs, at any camp, barracks, station or aerodrome in this country. It will not, of course, apply to a telegram addressed to a billet or home address, where the ordinary form of address can be used.