REPORTING CASUALTIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 December 1917, Page 3

REPORTING CASUALTIES.

NEXT-OF-KIN INFORMATION". j METHOD ADOPTED HV DEFENCE DEPARTMENT. \ Tlio Hon. Sir James Allen (Minister for Defence) made tlio following <(ateirtont. at Wellington on Friday as to the method adopted by the Defence Department in reporting casualties and communicating from time to time to the hext-of-kin information as to how sick and wounded soldiers arc progressing. 'Relatives and friends,'' said the ''are naturally anxious in respect to this matter, and it will bo of general interest therefore to make known the steps taken." '"Within 24 hours of the admission of a soldier to any hospital, it is the dutv of tile hospital authorities to advise'the New Zealand Expeditionary Force Record Office in Franco or London full particulars as to the identity of the soldier and the nature and condition of his wounds or illness. Tho military authorities overseas have instructions that, this information in all illnesses, except minor complaints, is to lie immediately cabled to the Base Records here. This information is immediately telegraphed from the Base Records Office in Wellington, and, irrespective of tlie time it takes, the messages, provided they arrive before 8 o'clock at night, are continuously worked at without any stoppage until all the telegrams to the next-of-kin 'have been despatched. "Some 10 to 20 days after the casualty occurs, the official report, after having been carefully checked with the records of theregiment, is despatched by cable to New Zealand, and if'the information in hnv way differs from that previously sent out, a further to el gram is despatch' ed to the next-of-kin. All wounded soldiers are gTaded:—(a) dangerous, (b) serious, (c) wounded (slight wounds only, for whie;t further reports generally unnecessary); and in case of (a) and (b) a report has to be dospatehed every fortnight, stating what their condition is, unless the condition shall change, when the change is to be cabled immediately. In the same manner, transfers to a base or convalescent home, and frequently to another hospital, arc cabled out, with a result that the next-of-kin are kept most fully advised of the condition, location, and nature of wounds of every soldier. Similar information is forwarded with references to cases of illness coming under the categories "dangerous" or "serious." ■ " Arrangements were made by Col. R. IT: Rhodes. M. P., when in Egypt and Oallipoli, to have forwarded the photography of the graves of soldiers,'' added the Minister, "and he has been now asked' whilst in London to confer with General Richardson and ascertain if the arrangements are still being satisfactorily corned out. an'd if not t.o see that thi-s is done as soon as possible."