Dear Madam. Your son got pwnt by a scorpion bolt.

[Medicus matt]

It was the job of the Legion's librarius caducorum (serving in the office of the Cornicularius) to deal with the belongings of dead soldiers but what that entails is guesswork. However, given that (according to Vegetius) soldiers were encouraged to pay into a funeral fund seperate to the regular military savings accounts, you'd imagine that perosnal possesions and any monies saved would be passed on to next of kin, along with notice of death.

I doubt if they got a visit from a Legate, a scroll and a medal though.