Our £5000 "Campaign Comforts" Fund.
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£1410 More Received to Saturday Last than there then Remained to be Obtained. List of Individual Donors of One Per Cent. now Includes 20 Names. Cases at the Front Used as Tool and Kit Boxes. Large Collecting Cards Available for Garages. We Ask Our Readers to "Give Us Socks."
The L.G.O.C. Auxiliary Help.
We estimated last week's receipts at " approximately 2200." They have, as the lists show, proved. to be .2203 10s. Id. The yield from collecting cards is already promising, as may be seen from the accompanying list of additions to the Fund. We are told that there is friendly yet keen rivalry between the respective operating _foremen of the L.G.O.C. garages, as to who shall head the list for February, and who shall stand high in it. This interest and keenness is, of course, highly valuable to the Fund, and much appreciated by its officers and members of the Ladies Committee.. Mrs. H. E. Blain, wife of the operating manager of the L.G.O.C., who last week accepted an invitation of the Ladies Committee to join it, has certainly not been long in bringing some influence to bear for the benefit inter alia of the 2000 odd ex-L.G.O.C. employees who are in the A.S.C., M.T., and who have shared in our distribution of comforts from the start.
Large Collecting Cards Now -Available.
We desire to direct the attention of proprietors, managers and foremen of garages and repairing shops to the fact that we are now able, on application, to issue a suitable e,ard for display in the shops. Each is eyeletted and strung so that it may be hung in a prominent place, and is made of stout cardboard. These cards are issued in two sizes. The larger is 23 ins, by 19 ins., and ruled for 110 names ; the smaller is 19 ins. by 12 ins., and ruled for 36 names. We hope that some of our readers will apply for these, and will arrange that they may be attached to the notice boards of their depots or garages. They are, of course, supplied free of charge.
J. Neele, Ltd., Added to the Leaders.
Mr, J. Keele, of J. Keele, Ltd.' of 72, New Bond Street, W., has sent a cheque for :C50, in support of the Fund, thus bringing the total of individual donors of one per cent. up to 20. We hope that this will grow still further, and we invite a perusal of the names which are already included in this list by those whom we think may have overlooked its exist-. ence. It is, in effect, the "Roll of Honour" of our Fund, but we have lately altered its designation, by reason of the fact that those words are at the present time applied so generally to lists of another kind,
List of Cash Donations (15th-20th inst.).
Previcaksly vkipstAledged ... 3001 4 7 Per Collecting Card (details will be included in issue of 4th March, making 2123 17s. 9d.) ... 108 4 7 J. Ksele, Ltd., London ... 50 0 0 "W.C.W.," Loughton... 10 0 0 H. H. Walford, Alresford, Hants ... 5 0 0 Robert W. Wallace, Edinburgh ... 5 0 0 Thos, H. Edwards, Aiglaurth, Liverpool .:. 3 0 0
Mrs. H. E. Blain, London, ... 2 2 0 R. H. Taylor, Goldens Green, N.W. 2 0
Mrs. A. L. Thomas, Llandilo 2 2 0 M. Whiteside, Great Malvern 2 2 0 Mrs. C. J. Clay, Atherstone 2 0 0 Mrs. Stratten Boulnois, Chertsey . 1 1 0 Mrs. Rupert Bremner, Liverpool 1 1 0 Hutton Guy, Nottingham. I 1 0 Travers W. King, Ballymena, Co. Antrim ... 1 1 0 Mrs. Harriette King, Ballymena, Co. Antrim ... 1 1 0 Miss Rose Phillips, London ... ... 1 1 0 Employees of James Striek and Sons, Ltd., Swansea 1 1 0 Earl of Mexborough, Kensington, S.W. ... ... 1 0 0 Miss Smith, Oundle 1 0 0 in regard to the excellence of our packing and to the adequacy of our labelling and general directing. This week this appreciation has been supplemented by a letter from an 0.C., who, after seeing the reproduction of a photograph in which the making of our cases was shown, wrote as follows : "With reference to the illustration on page 434a of your issue 1st inst., showing the making of the best eases that have been used by any fund,' it may interest you to know that of the several cases, containing your very acceptable gifts forwarded to my unit, none ha-ve been scrapped.
"I have had each one fitted with padlocks and hinges, and they are now continuing a life so usefully begun in many capacities in work and columns. One graces the luggage carrier of my Sunbeam as an extra stationery box.
"Wishing you the best of luck with your Fund, the administration of which appears to be as thorough as the workmanship of the old gentleman portrayed on page 434%."—O.C. IME Corps Troops Supply Column.
Either Scrap or Firewood.
We have hitherto felt some measure of regret when reflecting that the very considerable expenditure that we have been forced to incur in respect of our cases, was likely in the end to result in either scrap or firewood, but here to hand came a letter which suggested an ingenious adaptation by which even the cases in which we send out the Campaign Comforts might be thus turned into additional comforts. We are, therefore, now fitting the whole of our cases with hinges, and are enclosing inside the lid a notice inviting the use of these cases as tool or kit boxes, instead of their being scrapped.
Responsible Buttons.
Of new purchases, we have not much fresh to report, lest it be of 25,000 "bachelor's buttons," a gift which, when properly distributed, should relieve buttons which have been on active service since August last of considerable responsibility. For the uninitiated we would offer the reminder that the bachelor's button is the sort that is sewn on with a hammer—an implement which is more likely to be found; when wanted, in a mechanical transport column than is a needle and cotton.
Orders in Hand.
We expect the completion of our very considerable additional orders, within the next few days, for
tobacco and cigarettes, and soap ; we are sending out sufficient tins of bull's-eyes for the whole of the 60 odd columns, and tobacco for those who have not yet had any from us. Towels and handkerchiefs are now being taken in great quantities into our stores, and after being duly labelled or marked, are being prepared for early despatch to the troops. Our gifts of footballs. have met with BO much appreciation, that we have decided to increase our purchases in this respect.
We have placed orders for 16,000 individual special packets of stationery and envelopes' and these will be ready for delivery within the next week. Finally, in response to further suggestions from our officer friends, we are negotiating for the purchase of considerable numbers of tooth brushes and tooth paste of a• suitable quality.
The Recognized Laundry Test.
We may conclude our review of this week's activities by citing another instance of the thoroughness which we seek to impart into our organization. We have mentioned that we are purchasing considerable quantities of towels. We have acquired samples at competitive prices from various sources, and these have, after being carefully marked, been sent
to a recognized laundry with instructions to "take every care of them." In this way we are led to assume that we are securing the best destructive test that is available. The sample which looks most like a towel when it returns from the laundry, if its price be good enough, will probably be the one of which we shall purchase further large numbers at an early date.
The Largeness of the Plum Crop.
The fact that we are considering the possibility of sending out occasional consignments of jam—other than "Plum and Apple "—will perhaps better be understood after perusal of the following letter, which was written by a driver to his relations at home and which is repeated by his permission:—
" I am so happy, and this is the reason. I was given for breakfast this morning a tin of jam, labelled 'Plum and Apple.' For the hundred and first time since the commencement of ray army career, I lamented the largeness of last,year's plum crop, but judge of my surprise when I found that it was wrongly labelled, and contained quince marmalade, my favourite preserve. I was so elated about it that I have put the matter into verse:
"A greater thing this day did hap., Than e'er before or since.
For what was labelled 'Plum and App.' Was nothing else than Quince."
Thank You, Very Much.
"They are excellent gloves, and very suitable for the work."—O.C., 1=th Company, A.S.C.
The 0.0. of the • Div. Sup. Col. writes : "Very excellent gloves, and the very things for the men."
"I find it difficult to put into words any adequate expression of the extent to which this, and your former gifts, .are appreciated by the men, but that this is very thorough, I can assure you." 0.0. ME Corps Troops Supply Column.
"Only men like mine, who have to drive lorries at all times and in every sort of weather can realize what a godsend your gifts are. Your fund is so ably administered that I can offer no suggestions about gifts except perhaps some note paper and envelopes —and more bull's-eyes."—O.C. ME Divisional Supply Column.
"We the undersigned Motor Transport drivers wish to thank you for your 'generous gifts of gloves, etc., which we have received. We hope you have the best of health and that all connected with the Fund prosper in the future.—Yours truly,
"Private A.J.H. 3232,
"Private J.M. 09363, "Private J.W.M. 09364.
" A.S.C., M.T., 68 Co., No. I Ind. Amm. Park."