§ 2. General Sir George Jeffreysasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that air-mail letters from this country are taking over a month to reach wounded personnel in hospitals in Italy and that telegrams are not reaching them at all; and whether he will cause the delivery of all letters and telegrams addressed to patients in these hospitals to be accelerated as much as possible.
§ The Secretary of State for War (Sir James Grigg)The prompt delivery of mail to the wounded is specially difficult, involving, as it does, redirection to a soldier who may pass through several establishments, such as casualty clearing stations, hospitals, reinforcement holding units, but special measures have been taken to accelerate the delivery of mail in these cases. It has been made clear that it is the duty of the commanding officers of units and establishments such as hospitals to ensure that redirection cards are invariably sent on the arrival or departure of a soldier. These cards are carried by the quickest possible means. In August air letters to a base in Italy took under 4 days whereas the average time in February last was over 6 days. The time taken from the base to the recipient depends on his location and military situation. Telegrams to the forces in Italy can only be telegraphed as far as the base in Italy, where they are handed over to the Army Postal Service for delivery to units with the letter mail, The difficulties of redirecting letters to men wounded and admitted to hospital therefore apply equally to telegrams.
§ Sir G. JeffreysIs my right hon. Friend aware that there have been cases recently of large bundles of letters, all addressed to a general hospital, being kept back at a convalescent camp and not delivered for over a month; and that there have been various cases of which I could inform him?
§ Sir J. GriggI should be glad if my hon. and gallant Friend would give me particulars of cases which look rather like bulk neglect.