Our " Campaign Comforts 'I Fund.
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Satisfactory Position Before Christmas. £1029 Already Subscribed. 18,563 Individual Gifts (125 Cases)• Already Delivered or on Their Way.
Ladies Committee; Mrs. Shrapnell-Smith, Mrs. S. S. Long (wife of the Director of S. and T.), Mrs. Bagnall-Wild (wife of a former Sec. M.T.C.), Mrs. W. E. Donohue (wife of the C.I.M.T.), and Mrs. H. N. Foster (wife of the D.A.D.T.)
We close the first stage of the " Campaign Cornforts" Fund with a total of £1029. That is at the end of less than two months, seeing that our first references in print appeared in this journal on the 29th October. We acknowledge with very sincere feelings the sustained and willing help, both in ea8h and kind. The next list of donations in cash will appear in our issue of the 14th January. We are already promised in advance, by several manufacturers who helped us to start the first 21000, that they will mark the opening of the New Year by second donations to our Fund, "in recognition," adds one, "of the splendid way you are running it."
We Pass the £1000 Mark BeIore Christmas.
It will be observed that, whilst two welcome subscriptions of 260 each are included below, there is undoubted evidence, in the long succession of names, of continued and widespread interest. A Good Week for Gifts in Kind: Many More Wanted We are indebted to the following ladies and gentle men for the gifts in kind which are included :— Sixth List of Gifts in Kind (14th-49th inst.). Miss M. Blades, Oxted (1 body belt, 1 pair cuffs, 2 packets cigarettes).
F. W. C,00te, Clifton (1 shirt, 1 vest, 1 sweater). Mrs. Copland, St. Annes-on-Sea (12 pairs pants, 12 vests, 1 scarf, 1 body belt).
" Corporal, RE." (2 scarves, 2 pairs gloves, 1 pair
socks, 2 pairs mittens). J. G. Earle, Liverpool (2 pair gloves, 1 Inverness coat)_ Mrs. Engall, Acton (supply of soap). Friends at Littlehampton (2 pairs cuffs, 2 scarves, 1 body belt). Mrs. Fentham Birmingham (1 box stationery). Miss I. Garland, York (2 scarves).
J. B. Gerrard, Romford (1 sweater).
Mrs. W. Graves, West Kensington (4 boxes soap, supply of stationery).
Mrs. Hatchett,.St. Albans (2 helmets, 1 pair -mittens,
1 scarf). Mrs. Hayes, Besmondoey (3 pairs socks, 6 hansikerchiefs), Mrs. Hedges, tipper Slaughter (3 shirts, 3 pairs socks). Mrs. H. Knell, Streatham (1 pair pants, soap, bootlaces, 3 tins buracie).
Mrs. L. E. Leighton, Northwood (8 shirts, 2 sweaters,
2 pairs pants, 2 scarves, 3 body belts, 1 pair socks, 1 pair cuffs). Mrs. Lancaster, Stratford (6 handkerchiefs, 6 tins boracic ointment, stationery). Miss Mellor, London (3 sweaters, 6 pains gloves, 6 body belts).
Colon-el Morton, Reading (13 pairs mittens, i pair socks).
Miss Nell, Louth (2 pairs mittens, 1 helmet). Mrs. Perryman and Friends, Canorsbury (3 scarves, 6 pairs mittens, 1 helmet, 1 body belt). Mrs. Potts, Nottingham (1 dozen handkerchiefs, stationery).
Ladies of Renfrew Parish Church (1 dozen pair socks, 1 scarf, 1 helmet, 13 pairs mittens, 5 pairs cuffs, 6 packets cigarettes).
Mrs. J. R. Thomson, Chester (3 belts, 2 pairs socks, 1 pair mittens, 1 helmet, 1 pair gloves).
Mrs. Thompson, Cricklewood (100 hand-painted Christ mas cards).
Gifts in Kind—con.
Misses Wharton, Kendal (2 scarves, 3 helmets, 3 pairs socks).
Mrs. Woodside, Dairy (2 body belts, 1 scarf, 1 helmet, 1 pair mittens). •
Walkerbourn Work Depot, per Miss M. Ballantyro (34 pairs socks, 29 body belts, 13 scarves, 13 pairs mittens, 12 pairs cuffs).
Anonymous (20 waterproof rugs ; 6 tins boracic ointment, 1 packet soap, stationery; 15 shirts).
Further Large Contracts in Hand.
The voluntary party of packers has been again very busy during the past week despatching a further 11 cases of woollen goods. V4re can still do with ample supplies of this kind. Packages which reach this office are sorted and sent out as a rule within 48 hours of their receipt.
Tenders for further large consignments of horsehide gloves, as well as for two tons of bull's-eyes and large supplies of soap, candles, and similar comforts, were carefully considered by the Ladies' Committee, which was held on Thursday, the 17th-inst.
, The work of distribution has been considerably coin-, .plicated during the past week, owing to the addition to our official list et a number of new A.S.C., M.T., Columns and by the re-grouping of many others. These difficulties however, have been promptly surmounted. Cases have now been sent out to all the 31 . columns on the original list, and supplies are in hand . for the additional ones, including even the Mechanical Transport Bases.
Appreciations from the Men whom we are "Comforting."
"The two cases of gifts of _woollen goods, chocolate, etc., have been received and distributed. They were very much appreciated by all ranks of the min Cav. Div. Sup. Col."Lieut. J. R. Hawkins, for Captain.
"I beg to inform you that I shall be most pleased to distribute such gifts as are received here. I am sure the 'Men, will greatly appreciate any gifts thus forwarded, gloves and scarves being most urgently required for the severe weather we are now experiencing."—O.C., • Cav. Div. Sup, Col.
" I beg to acknowledge receipt of the tobacco, cigarettes, woollen goods and general comforts, which arrived quite safely. I also wish to tender my sincerest thanks and great appreciation of alfranks of my column."--Captain J. D. Abdul, 0.C., as Div. Sup. Col.
"We shall be awfully grateful for any comforts you can send out to us. We are not in need actually, but the weather is dreadfully cold, and the men suffer much at nights sleeping in their vehicles. What we want most is warm clothes and gloves, and smokes as a luxury, and an occasional copy of THE COIVIIKERCIAL MOTOR would be most welcome."—O.C., MN Am. Park.
"It will be a great boon to the men in my company to receive gifts of pipes, cigarettes, tobacco, etc. -Cigarettes are a great luxury, as our men do not take kindly, to those made in this part of the country. I am glad to see that the interests of the men in the M.T. branch of the Army are not being lost sight of by those at home."—O.C., A.S.C.,
Troops Supply Col.
"Your parcel of warm things for the men of my column arrived safely to-day, and will I am sure be .very gratefully appreciated ,by,them. I will see that they all 'set shared out to those who most require them. I am glad to say that just at present we are working under 'Somewhat easier conditions, and long may it last. The Want Card' fulfils a long-felt want."—Major L. C. Bearne, 0.C., NMI Div. Sup. Col.
"I beg to acknowledge with many thanks receipt of the case of gloves. I can assure you that the gloves, when issued to the drivers, will be very much appreciated by them, and, coupled with the knowledge that their friends at home are thinking of them, will greatly lighten their duties here. The full strength of the above unit is MM. It is hardly necessary for me to say that any further gifts will be gratefully received. In the names of the officers, N.C.O.s and men of this company I beg you to accept my best thanks for your useful gifts. —Captain S. H. Marriott, G.C., ER M.T. Co., A.S.C. "Your gifts have arrived, and are very much appreciated. Please accept my best thanks on behalf of my column to the subscribers for them. This column is E. strong."— Captain Archibald, 0.C., MR Cav. Sup. Col.
"I think your scheme is the very best-one I have heard of, and I have been wondering how I was going to get comforts
for my lads on. the lorries, . . 110 percent, of my men are all specially enlisted drivers, and they are making jolly good soldiers, and deserve everything that can be done for them. I shall be delighted to see that anything you send out for my men is properly distributed. Gloves will be particularly useful. There is an issue of gauntlets from Ordnance Stores, and thick winter things for all motor drivers, but they will be very thankful for spares."—O.C., IMO Div. Sup. Col. "I shall be glad if you will send me two copies of the Want Card.' A thing like this is extremely useful out here. We have nothing of the kind and often have a rare job to make ourselves understood in French. The French of the average Englishman is probably a long way off what it ought to be, but that is only to be expected.
"With regard to the Campaign Comforts Fund which you are organizing, we are all glad to hear that our existence is being remembered like that of the other troops. "The weather just now is very changeable, and we have a rare lot of rain. There are a great number of bus drivers in the M.T. Take them all round they probably make the best drivers of the heavy vehicles. We have not had a great deal of frost up to now, so have been fairly lucky up to the present, but there is time yet. Wishing you all the Compliments of the Season and a Happy New Year, and trusting that the'CM.' may keep flourishing."—Driver C. V. Smith, 4491, A.S.C., M.T., British Expeditionary Force.
" I have now been out here two months driving a 45 h.p. Maudslay, and am having a splendid time, although we occasionally, of course, have to rough it. I hope we shall get our share of the Campaign Comforts although we are attached to a Heavy Battery, R.G.A. rile men would appreciate some warm waterproof driving aprons which would also do to sleep in.
"The nights are very cold and wet now. We are continually being called on at all times of the night and day.
"My Maudslay has been going Al, and I consider it easily the fastest in the convoy. It takes hills on top with 70 rounds of lyddite and shrapnel for 4.7 guns on hoard."— Driver W. Pratt, Divisional Ammunition Column, — Heavy Battery, R.G.A.
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