§ Mr. LUNDONasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether it is the practice of the War Office in cases where private soldiers have been court-martialed and put to death at the front for disobeying orders, etc., to notify their parents that such sentence had been carried out by means of open postcard; and, if so, will steps be taken to alter such methods and only notify parents of the death of their sons, without any reference to court-martial or otherwise?
§ Mr. TENNANTI am not aware that deaths taking place in the circumstances mentioned have been notified by means of an open postcard. Record Offices are provided with forms on which to notify deaths. As regards the last part of the question it has been decided that as in these cases the relatives were bound to know, sooner or later, the circumstances of the death, it was better that they should be informed at once.