Letter to Mrs Cahir from the Casualty Section, Department of Air

Letter to Mrs Cahir from the Casualty Section, Department of Air

The letter refers to Jim Cahir's personal effects which will be kept in storage until his release from prisoner of war camp.

1944-02-18

One typewritten letter

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ELangslowMCCahirM440218

[Commonwealth of Australia crest]
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
Casualty Department,
DEPARTMENT OF AIR,
Merton Hall,
Anderson Street,
MELBOURNE, South Yarra.
S.E.1.
TELEPHONES LA.5271
IN REPLY QUOTE RAAF.166/7/278(15A)
70183
FEB 28 1944
Dear Madam,
I refer to your letter dated the 13th February, 1944, concerning your son, Flight Sergeant Francis Shamus Cahir, who is a prisoner of war.
I desire to inform you that your son’s personal effects will be kept at the Royal Air Force Central Depository for safe custody until he is repatriated from his prisoner of war camp, in accordance with well established practise. This is considered desirable as he may require some of these articles when he is released from his prisoner of war camp ultimately, when his own instructions regarding disposal of them will be followed as far as possible.
In the meantime, at his request, it may be possible to forward certain items from the kit to him direct in Germany and as requested in your letter, Mrs. Taylor’s name has been recorded and a cable despatched to Overseas Headquarters, Royal Australian Air Force, London, arranging for her to be appointed as his next-of-kin in the United Kingdom for the despatch of quarterly parcels and other matters.
This will not prevent your receiving any further information which may be sent officially concerning your son, but will enable your sister to despatch quarterly clothing parcels to him from the United Kingdom.
Yours faithfully,
[signature]
(M.C. Langslow)
[underlined] SECRETARY [/underlined]
Mrs. M. Cahir,
505 Bell Street,
[underlined] WEST PRESTON. [/underlined] VIC.