Our £5000 "Campaign Comforts" Fund.
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Fresh Impetus to Donations Ascribable to New Activities of the A.S.C., M.T. Comprehensive Summary of Wants from the Front. Australians and Canadians Now Added to Our List. Elusive Soap.
• The total of cash donations, up to Saturday last, was £3942 8s. 2d. The fresh receipts •on account of collections and other special sums, for the month of March, amounted to £21 2s. 9d., during the past week, as shown haaewith. Details of these collections arid special contributions, including that from the R.A.C. Country House Club, will be given in our issue of next week.
We are pleased to gather from our correspondence that our Fund is likely to benefit by renewed support in many directions, due to the pending fresh activities of the A.S.C., M.T., in France, Belgium and near the Dardanelles. There are undoubtedly many users and members of the heavy-motor industry who, no doubt by reason of other calls upon them, have so far continued to turn a "blind eye" upon the only central fund for the officers and men of the Mechanical Transport Columns of the Army Service Corps. We have hopes for their conversion.
Getting Ready for _Milder Weather, Although the coming Easter holidays will cause little relative dislocation in the business organization of our Fund, it is naturally likely to cause some pause, however brief, in its operation. Preparations are being rapidly pushed ahead to enable further large numbers of cases to be sent out filled with what we call "summer comforts," and, as we have already announced, woollens, with the exception of socks, will continue to be packed and stored against a possible second winter campaign. Now that we have so satisfactorily established our position as the suppliers of the extra "bits and pieces" which go to snake the A.S.C., M.T., men's lives more bearable on active service, we receive not a few quaint requests from officers who imagine our capacity for supplying their immediate wants is infinite. Last week, for instance, produced inquiries as to whether we could send out complete cricket sets, tennis balls, collapsable scissors for nail cutting, a banjo, boxing gloves, another gramophone, goggles, etc. We managed to find a generous,dostor of a banjo
within half an hour of the request reaching this office. Funds, unfortunately, will not run to the provision of sufficient cricket equipment for any large number of men, and we have to be careful not to make precedents which might prove &reappointing to us if we could not fulfil ad further requirements. In the case of the banjo, it was different, of course, because we were able to obtain the gift of a discarded one.
Our Australian and Canadian Consignees.
Promptly on the arrbeal of the Australian motor transport columns in this eountry, we Were visited by one of the principal officess of this column, who was most enthusiastic when he was shown the details of the organization of the Fund, aril he promptly put in a claim to ensure that these men from the other side of the world should, immediately they leave England for the Front, share in future distributions. Needless to say, we were happy to promise such provision, and the Australian columns have been duly registered in our books.
The Canadians, already at the Front. have received to date quite a number of cases, and have distinguished themselves by exceptionally prompt acknowledgment of the continued and excellent relations as between the -Fund and these columns.
List of Gifts in Hind (22ad-27th ult.).
Please note that no farther woollen comforts other than socks are required this season.
Mrs. Gellatly, Parham (6 pairs socks). Mrs. Purton; PaInfers Green (4 pairs mittens, 1 scarf.) Per .Mrs. H: N. Foster (3 vests, 3 pairs pants," 25 pairs socks, 21 pairs mittens, 12 helmets, 16 coats, 14 mufflers, 1 pair kneecaps, 1 pair tuffs, 5 pairs gloves, 16 shirts).
Mrs. Bally; 'Winchfield.(2 pairs mittens, 4 pairs socks, 1
body belt, 1 Muffler', 4 niouth organ's, 2`pa.ckets soap, 1 box sweets, 10 books). . • • • Mrs. DonoIthe sad Friends (4 mufflers, 4 pairs mittens, 12 papers). Miss Kidner, St. John's Wood (1 muffler, 3 pairs socks).
Miss Shrapnell-Smith,Liverpool (2 pairs mittens).
E. S. Shrapnell-Smith (banjo).
Lawn Tennis Association (per B. Sabelli, Esq.) (84 tennis balls). W. A. Greenfield, West Lothian (2 pairs mittens, 2 pairs gloves, 10 packets cigarettes).
Mrs. Munion, Chelmsford f,3 pairs mittens).
No name (postmark " London") (10 pairs socks, 7 pairs mittens, 8 mufflers).
Sending Soap to Soldiers.
We occasionally encounter very clear instances of delay in delivery, and it has been curious for us to notice that a large consignment of soap, which we sent out in January, was subjected to most unusual delays in respect of delivery. Why this was, we have not been able to ascertain with any exactitude, but we are occasionally even now receiving acknowledgments from columns who, after more than two months' delay, "beg to acknowledge receipt of one or more eases of soap with very many thanks." No other stores that we have sent out have been subjected to such delay, and there seems to be a curious fatality about our attempts to keep the A.S.C., M.T., clean.
No More Austrian Mouth-organs.
The Fund has this week acquired a further 80 footballs and another gross of mouth-organs. The latter, this time, we have been suoces.sful in obtaining from America ; previously we had to make do with either Austrian or German makes. The tests to which these more-or-less rensical instruments were subjected in and around the Fund's offices were, by order, SO brief as not to be provocative of any interruption of ordinary business routine. Towels, tennis balls, and 'Want Cards" have this week been added to our • stores in considerable quantities.
i330 Appeal for Dry-weather Comforts.
The following extracts from two of the many letters from the Front which have come to hand this week will prove interesting reading.
"The soap you sent us has arrived after an unaccountable delay of apparently two months since it left your depot. Anything you can send us which will help us to get clean and to keep clean, now the season is approaching when we shall get intolerable dust, will be very welcome. Many thanks for all you have done so far."--O.C., • Div. Amm. Park.
"There are signs of drying up and dust is getting prevalent, so that the handkerchiefs and towels, which you say you will very likely be sending out, will be much appreciated, especially as soon as the dust gets bad. An occasional box of soap would then be very welcome as well. With many thanks from all my eo-lumn to the subscribers to your fund."—O.C.,
• Cav. Sup. Col.
" Wethad a, snowstorm yesterday, but it has been sunny and warm to-day. Many thanks for the 'CM.,' which comes regularly and -is greatly appreciated. I think you have risen nobly to the occasion. I noticed in one of the photographs reproduced in your journal a cateaddressed to My old command— the G.H.Q. Troops Supply Column. I have at present only about 100 men and an Albion lorries. We go for route 'marches When we are resting,' and will be glad of one or two mouth-organs, also a football.
Body belts are now, as you surmise, a drug in the _
market, brit 1 think you Will alays be well advised to 'give 'em socks.'
"Good wiehes from us all, and irriariy thanks for all your kind interest and practical • kindness to the M.T."-0.0. ME Owe.' Amm. Park.