§ Mrs. Castleasked the Secretary of State for War, whether he is aware that priority telegrams to men serving overseas notifying them of the serious illness or death of near relatives are often delayed for several days before delivery, causing great distress, and will he do everything possible to see that these telegrams reach the men quickly.
§ Mr. LawsonNo special facilities are available for giving priority to telegrams to soldiers serving overseas relating to serious illness or death.
Much has, however, been done to speed up the delivery of all overseas private telegrams It is still not practicable in many cases to send telegrams by telegraph all the way to the town or camp where the men are stationed. In such cases they are telegraphed to the nearest suitable centre in the theatre concerned and then delivered by the Army Postal Services with the Air Mail.
If my hon. Friend would send me de tails of any specific case in which there appears to have been undue delay in the delivery of a telegram, I will gladly have inquiries made.