§ 60. Mr. G. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for War why the parents of T/22891795 Wilcox were not notified of the serious operation performed on him at the Queen Alexandra Hospital; and whether he will take steps to improve the War Office system for informing parents of any serious illness of their sons whilst serving in the Army.
§ Mr. Head:In reply to a Question earlier today by the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Fenner Brockway), I gave the circumstances in which the next of kin is automatically notified by the hospital of a soldier's illness. In other cases we are satisfied from past experience that it is better and more reassuring to let the soldier write home himself. Driver Wilcox knew well in advance that he was going to have to undergo this operation, and I understand he wrote home to his parents both before the operation and the day after.