Our £5000 "Campaign Comforts" Fund.
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£4000 Will be Reached by Wednesday Next. Demands from the Dardanelles. Further Large Consignments of Bull's-eyes and Tobacco. Few More Woollens to be Sent Out Hereafter.
Patroness: H.R.H. Princess Arthur of Connaught.
Ladies Committee: Mrs. S. S. Long (wife of the D. S. and T., War Office), Mrs. Shrapnell.-Smith (wife of The Editor) Mrs. R. K. Bagnall-Wild (wife of a former Sec. M.T.C., War Office). Mrs. H. E. Blain (wife of the Operating Manager L.G.O.C., etc.), Mrs. W. E. Donohue (wife of the C.I.M.T. War Office), Mrs. H. N. Foster (wife of the D.A.D.T.. War Office).
Hon. Sec. and Treas.: The Editor. Purchase and Distribution: The Asst. -Editor.
Scottish Receiving Depot: care D. McNeil Sharp, 26, Victoria Drive, Scotstouri, Glasgow.
AT THE HEAD OF THE FUND.
A.S.0 , M.T. Depot, Grove Park, per Col. H. F. T. Fisher A.S.C., M.T. Depot, Bulford, per Major F. Lindsay Lloyd A.S.C. Canteen, Aldershot, per Co!. A. E. Cuming ..• DONORS OF ONE PER CENTEACH.
Anglo-American Oil Co., Ltd. (" I ratts" Spirit).
Asiatic Petroleum Co., Ltd. (" Shell" Spirit;. Associated Equipment Co., Ltd.
Belsize Motors, Ltd.
Car and General Insurance Corporation, Ltd.
Commercial Cars, Ltd.
Crossley Motors, Ltd.
Daimler Motor Co., Ltd Fdrnund Dangerfield, Esq.
Dennis Bros. (1913), Ltd.
Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd.
Herbert Frood Co., Ltd. Hall, J. and E., Ltd.
Halley's Industrial Motors, Ltd.
Heath Harrison, Esq.
Keele, J., Ltd.
Leyland Motors, Ltd.
Dr. G. B. Longstaff.
John, I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd.
Vauxhall Motors, Ltd.
Wolseley Motors, Ltd.
SOME INTERESTING TOTALS TO SATURDAY, THE
Already subscribed .. '3841 Cases despatched (up to 56 lb. gross) 813 Individual gifts despatched . . 78,729 Gloves, pairs despatched . . 9785 Bull's-eyes (8 oz. tins)• despatched . .16,469 Soap, tablets* . . . . 14,480 Tooth brushes* • . . 4000 Tooth soap, tins* . . . 4000 Candles, lb.* . . . . 1200 Dubbin, tins* . . . 5000 Tobacco (2..o.s. packets) despatched.. 5456 Cigarettes (packets 20) despatched.. 12,300 Cig. papers (packets) despatched . . 5128 Footballs* . . . . 80 Boracic ointnzent, tins* . 5040 Lint, packages* .. . . . 1152 Small bandages* . . . . 2304 Cotton wool, packets* . . . 2000 Leather bootlaces, pairs despatched 2000 Handkerchiefs* .. . . . 10,000 Mouth organs despatched . . 84 Towels* . . . . . 4040 Bachelors' buttons* . . . 25,920 Jam (strawberry and apricot), lb. des. 36 * Part despatched. f No more are wanted.
20th MARCH.
Gramophones (and records) despatched 2 Surgical stocking despatched . . I Want cards (in French) despatched 18,000 Body belts despatcheclf .. 810 Scarves despatched .. .. 1112 Socks, pairs despatched .. . . 1143 Mittens, pairs despatchedt . . .. 1656 Shirts, jerseys, etc , despatched . . 775 Helmets despatched .. . . 438 Total gifts in kind received .. 9550 Total outward letters and circulars 18,996
We give ourselves to the 31st inst. to complete £4000. The average receipt, since we started the Fund on the 17th October last, has been maintained largely in excess of 500 shillings per week-day.
The help of the R.A.C., with part of the proceeds from the gate money that was taken at the opening of the R.A.C. Country House Club and Golf Course at Woodcote Park, Epsom, on Saturday last, provides yet another instance of the interest of this country's leading motor organization in "war charities." The sum which we have included is approximate, and it may prove to be increased by at least several pounds before our next issue appears.
The position of the Fund, up to Saturday last, was this : we had received £2032 more than there then remained to be donated in order to complete the desired total of £5000; there is enough money in hand to complete and pay for all desirable additional purchases to the middle of May.
Developments in and around the Dardanelles are causing new demands upon the Fund ; we first heard of this move many weeks ago, but under a promise of secrecy (which has, of course, been observed). We are now at liberty to add the claims of the A.S.C., M.T., in Turkey to our many other reasons for wishing to be able to maintain a flow of " extras " during the spring and summer months.
c20 Cash Donations (to the 20th inst.) Previously acknowledged ... ... 3701 9 Royal Automobile Club Country House Club (part receipts at opening of golf course at Woodcote Park, Epsom, and various sums on aocount of collections for the month of March—details will ba published on the firth prox.) ... 62 10 0 A.S.C. (MT. Depot), Contingent Fund, Billiard, per Major F. Lindsay Lloyd (making £300£240 from Contingent Fund, and 60 from Sergeants' Mess) ... .•• .•. 50 0 0 Dr. E. Oliver Ashe, Kimberley, South Africa 10 0 0 Mrs. Fitzwilliams, Kensington ... 10 0 0 Markt and Co. (Lorickm), Ltd. ... 2 2 0
S. D. Brunton, Wellington (Salop) 1 1 0
J. L. Henson, London ... ••• 1 1 0 Ernest Lyon, Ltd., London ... 1 1 0
L. N. Palmer's Garage, Tooting, S.W. 1 1 0
Kenneth M. Kirkham, London ... 0 10 6 J'. A. Terry and Co., Westcliff-on-Sea 0 5 0
Total (to 20th inst..) ... £3841 1 5
An Imperial Canadian's View.
We sometimes hear the views of men at the Front who are not in the A.S.C., M.T., nor any other branch of the A.S.C. An interesting case in point, this week, is in the course of a letter from a, Canadian gentleman of good sta/oling in Toronto who joined Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Writing under date the 4th inst., in a letter addressed to the Editor, he voluntarily gives the following interesting irnpres'aims from his own observation :—" The motor transport, in my opinion, is simply wonderful, and to it I Imagine is entirely due our comparative comfort and the good food and plenitude of it which we get. 1, of course, have seen many hundreds of the motor wagons, but never yet have I seen a blockade through a breakdown, which, when one bears in mind the difficulties, is ma/vellous to a degree. You may justly be immensely proud, I think, of that body of men in which you take so active an interest, as, though possibly they do not have the same risks of death and injury as many do, their work is hard, long and arduous in every way, and, to my mind, there is no branch of the service doing finer work out here. Were it not for them, we would indeed have a sorry time."
[We much regret to learn that the writer of this letter, Mr. Leonard Fuller, died of wounds received a few days later.—En. j List of Gilts in Hind (13th-19th inst.).
British Red Cross Society, Birkenhead (10 mufflers, 6 pairs
mittens, 15 pairs socks).
Lt. -Col. T. P. Brame Giles, Chester (6 pairs socks). Mrs. J. Chevallier, Winslow (2 pairs mittens).
Per Mrs. W. E. Donohue (parcel of books). Misses Douglas, Brighton (1 towel, 1 cap, 1 pair mittens). L. Figg, Wandsworth (1 cardigan). Miss Graham, Mold (2 scarves, 2 pairs socks, 1 cardigan). Mrs. M. Haley, Halifax (2 pairs socks). Mrs. B. Horne, Bury (2 mufflers).
Mrs. S. Vernon Mann, New York (3 pairs mittens, 3 scarves, I Pair socks).
Miss Ivy Matthews, Paul, Penzance (1 muffler). Miss M. New, Watford (2 body belts., 1 muffler, 1 pair mittens, 1 pair sucks, 2 pipes). Mrs. L. H. Nathan, London (1 muffler, 2 pairs mittens). E. Strickland, Fairford (4 mufflers, 2 helmets, 1 waistcoat, 1 pair gloves).
Miss Smith, Ounclle (11 body belts, 5 mufflers, 6 pairs mit tens, 4 pairs socks, 1 helmet). Miss S. Spratt, leVanstead (1 muffler). Misses Shrapnell-Smith, London (1 pair mittens, 2 mufflers). " M.W.," Stamford Hill (1 scarf). Mrs. Woods, Haslemere (8 pairs socks). Anonymous : 2 scarves; 1 muffler, 2 cigars. No name: (postmark "W. Ebury Street "), 4 pairs gloves; 1 muffler, 2 pairs mittens, 1 pair socks, 1 pair gloves, A Period of Changing Over.
The past week has been a period of interregnum with regard to the distribution side of the Fund's activities. We have practically reached that stage when we have decided. to cease sending out winter comforts in any large quantities. We are already making preparations on a very considerable scale for the substitution of gifts of a class which will be as acceptable in the coming warmer months as have all the good things we have accumulated and despatched during the past winter season. Our ordinary packing has, for a week or two, been suspended, probably owing to the fact that very large consignments of bull's-eyes and tobacco and cigarettes are, even as we are writing, leaving the respective factories for the Front. • 169 Cases of Bull's.eyes.
Although such despatches as these last yield no further evidence of their existence in our office than a considerable increase in our normal correspondence, they represent a great deal of thought and care. To quote now the case of the supply of bull'seyes there were no fewer than 169 separate cases of these, all of them with their separate advice notes, labels and ateneiLlings, all to be very carefully checked and counterchecked, and inspected by one or other members of our staff before despatch. So that, as we have said, there is, for the moment, a
temporary lull in our recognized procedure and these special despatches serve very well to mark the difference as between our winter campaign and the opening of our summer one.
Woollen Comforts to be Stored.
We would take this opportunity once more to emphasize the fact that we' do not desire to receive further gifts (-/f woollen comforts other than socks.: We do not expect, it is true, to be able entirely to stop the flow into our stores of even the much maligned body belt, and comforts of this kind, which will undoubtedly continue to find their way into our hands —we hope in decreasing numbers during the next few months—will be stored against possible need of them, should a further winter campaign ensue.
A Few Extracts from Many Letters.
"Please accept my best thanks for the valuable assistance you have given in making the men comfortable."—O.C. Ell Cav. Div. Sup. Col.
At present all my men have gloves, thanks to your Fund, and even have a few spare pairs to meet emergencies. May I, therefore, suggest handkerchiefs and towels as a substitute in future ?-0.C. Cav. Div.
"Both officers and men are exceedingly grateful. They are now amply supplied with gloves and woollens for the remainder of the winter. The articles most in demand at present are socks and writing blocks."—O.C., ME Div. Sup. CoL "I think that no more woollen goods should be sent, but what the men stand in more need of is writing materials, soap and sweets. Although it is not quite fair to call it a need, as your fund has looked 60 well after us. All the men feel that they are not forgotten by their friends in England."—O.C. EE Corps Troops Sup. Col. "May I suggest that a few of the following articles be included in your next consignment: goggles, tooth powder, tooth brushes, shaving soaps, games, folding scissors for nail cutting, pencils, pocket mirrors, pocket handkerchiefs, small pocket calendars for notes, and a couple of writing pads for office work."0.0. ME Div. Sup. Col.
Extract from a letter addressed to Mr. S. E. Garcke, of the British Automobile Traction Co., Ltd. "The only trouble I have had since landing with my Thornycroft is the petrol battery strainer becoming choked up—a two-minute job, otherwise no trouble at all. And the secret of this is five minutes attention to the machine every morning. "We are well looked after here by THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR Campaign Comforts Fund. We get THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR out here with the various comforts, and their Despatches from the Front' are very interesting, and for despatches surprisingly correct."