Red Cross Information Bureau – March 1916

(from Mr Alderson’s niece to Mr Alderson)
Brompton 2/3/16
Dear Uncle,
Just a few lines to let you know that I have received a letter from My Husband telling me he has seen Lance in the Egypt Hospital, so you see the poor boy is not dead. I wrote and told him some time ago to have a look for him so he told me this letter he has found him wounded in Egypt but did not say where he is wounded, he said the hospital is a few miles from him… he said he will visit him every chance he gets… I seen in Mondays paper he was wounded.

From May, Chief Street

(from Mr Alderson to SA Red Cross)
March 5^th 1916
Dear Sir or Madam,
Yesterday I received a card from my neice in Brompton in which she says her husband has seen my son Lance Alderson in an Egypt hospital, but does not say which one, so that this information – like all other – is still rather vague, but every straw is worth grasping… Am enclosing the card, also am writing my neice, asking her to call on you to give her husband’s rank, number and address. Also to take the letter so that she can let you know exactly what her husband says; which may be of some assistance to your representative in Egypt…

(from SA Red Cross to Mr Alderson)
9^th March, 1916
Dear Sir,
We beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 5^th inst…

So far your niece has not called on us… however, we have send a copy of her letter card on to our commissioners in Egypt…

Your cable was despatched on the 29^th February, but so far we have had no reply…

(from SA Red Cross to Mr Alderson)
15 March, 1916
Dear Sir,

In answer to our cable concerning your son… we have today received form our Commissioners in Egypt the following reply:

“1119 Sergeant L R Alderson, 16^th Battalion, unofficially believed died of wounds”

… So far your neice has not called on us to give the particulars you requested; we are, threrfore, writing to her today asking if she will do so at her earliest convenience so that we may send that information to the Commissioners.

(from Mr Alderson to SA Red Cross)
March 18^th 1916
Dear Sir,

Yours of the 16^th to hand, for which I sincerely thank you and your Society for being able to do promptly obtain information respecting my son, although not of a promising nature, but naturally that is what we are prepared for…

Cannot understand how it is my niece has not called on you… Am writing her again.