§ Sir G. Owenasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that inconvenience, expense and distress are caused to families and relatives of deceased naval personnel owing to the uncertainty of the times of arrival of the bodies at the arranged railway station; and if he will in future detail an escort to accompany the coffin to its destination.
Mr. AlexanderEvery effort is made to give to relatives arranging the private burial of naval personnel ample notice of the anticipated time of arrival of the body at the railway station, and the expense of conveyance, not only by rail but from the station to the home of the deceased or the place of interment, is met from naval funds. Very few complaints about these arrangements have reached the Admiralty. The shortage of manpower would make it impossible to provide an escort for the coffin, and in any case it is not clear that an escort could prevent any inconvenience or distress should the coffin fail to arrive at the expected time.