§ Viscount WOLMERasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Graves Commission have twice invited subscription from Miss Doris Lasky, of 198, Union Road, Leytonstone, for the purpose of defraying the cost of a photograph of a grave; whether they have re- 1414W ceived from her the sum of 2s. 6d.; whether he is aware that they have omitted to send her the photograph or to pay any attention to her communications on the subject, except to inform her six times that a further communication will be addressed to her on the matter; and whether he will have inquiry made into the circumstances of the case?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am informed by the Director of Graves Registration and Inquiries that his Department has never invited any subscription from Miss Doris Lasky. I understand the facts are as follow: In her first letter of 8th October, 1918, asking on behalf of the parents for a photograph of the grave of Bombardier A. Joan, Royal Field Artillery, she offered to send a small subscription and asked to whom it should be sent. She was informed in reply that any donation she was kind enough to give should be forwarded to the British Red Cross Society, by whom funds for the work of photography are supplied. No subscriptions or payments for photographs are invited from the public, but frequently small donations are sent and these are paid over to the Red Cross Society. As regards the delay in supplying the photograph, the staff of photographers available will not permit of requests being met immediately. There are many thousands of requests now on hand and some time must necessarily elapse before the photographs asked for can all be supplied.