§ MAIL SERVICE (MIDDLE EAST).
22. Colonel Arthur Evansasked the Postmaster-General whether he is now in a position to make a statement regarding the possibility of improving the mail services to the Forces serving in the Middle East?
§ The Postmaster-General (Mr. W. S. Morrison)Yes, Sir. With the assistance of my right hon. and gallant Friend the Secretary of State for Air and the collaboration of the other Service Departments, I am introducing forthwith a special air mail postcard service to personnel of His Majesty's Forces serving in the Middle East, and an announcement with full details is being made in the Press and by the B.B.C. The charge for this service will be 3d., and the postcards will be carried all the way by air to the bases in the Middle East, where they will be delivered to the Army Postal Service. Ordinary air mail letters, because of the weight involved, and the limited aircraft capacity available, have to be carried over a large part of the way by sea and the new postcard service will therefore be much quicker as well as much cheaper than the ordinary air mail letter service. In the homeward direction, an air letter card service for which the charge is 3d. has recently been introduced by the Army Postal Service: this facility is available to the Forces in the Middle East except Egypt. I regret that, for reasons outside my control, this letter card service cannot at present be introduced from His Majesty's Forces stationed in Egypt. Other improvements in the postal communications by air to and from the Forces in the Middle East are impending, and I hope to be able to make a further announcement soon.
§ Mr. R. GibsonWill this apply to the service of mails going and coming from India?
§ Major Sir George DaviesDoes this include the Royal Navy as well as the land Forces?
§ Mr. MorrisonAll personnel of His Majesty's Forces.