A Few " Comforts " Confidences.
Page 4
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"The Inspector."
I was one of those who gladly lent a hand, in the early days of the war, towards the inauguration of TIIE COMMERCIAL MOTOR'S Campaign Comforts Fund, and I somehow feel that the momentous occasion of its formattransference.into military hands should not be allowed to pass without some other notice than that which the Editor, with proper and official modesty,accorded to the event in the last issue. I have no doubt he will bear with me, therefore, as may his readers also, if I devote my few customary paragraphs this week to a record Of some of the less important, if no less interesting, happenings with which the Fund has been associated.
Few will know the real origin of this journal's great Yuncl it may be interesting to record it. One of the " C.M." subs was a Special Reservist motor drivel., "Category 0," I think it was called. He had drawn a sovereign or two a year for a few years, with but little thought that he would at short notice be called on ta become a regular Tommy in the near future. And there were a great many others of the same frame of mind At most theyeancied that they would be required, after many months, to act as some sort or reserve, as a species of last line of defence. On 6th August, 1914, that bright and energetic young subeditor was in khaki, or as much Of it as he could • draw, trying to find a comfortable piece of Bristol dockside road to sleep the night on. In a, few days he was on active service as a despatch rider with the 1st Cavalry Divisional Supply Column, and a bit later he was in the maelstrom at Mona.• This meteoric transference into fully-blooded sol diery almost took the breath away from the staff left behind, as from other friends -who had known him. In those days a suddenly-made soldier was a curio, someone of whose acquaintance to boast. Those who were left behind must do something for him ! What was it to be Obviously tobacco, soap and chocolate —and something warm, gloves or a muffler. A capital idea, and no sooner said than done ; the comforts pur , chased, packed and despatched, with the blessings of a feweditorial and other friends at home. Once the parcel had gone, the enthusiastic promise of a good idea seem eel to he unfulfilled. Why should not TEE COMMERCIAL MOTOR and its widespread publicity be used .to make the journal the, fairy godmother on behalf of the industry for the whole of the MT., A. S,0'., and not just for one solitary despatch rider whom we had all known. Obviously a brain wave ! In the first few days 1;31 was collected. In 30 months nearly 117,000 rolled in, and practically all of it was spent. * The Editor and his chief assistant soon decided that the most appropriate gift for M.T. men, drivers and mates, was that of a good,_sound and warm pair of driving gloves. Then began a famous search for them. ProceSsions' of indispensable representatives of glove makers, spying promising subscription lists linked with the specific glove proposals, began to form queues at Ros.ebery Avenue. They had just the thing, generally at seven or eight shillings a pair, sometimes at a guinea! When a limit of two shillings was proposed,. the professional scorn which was aroused was • something to remember. I had the pleasure of helping at those early purchases, and a series of samples was called for and some tests took place. Left-hand gloves were selected and carefully labelled; they were then immersed in Diesel engine oil for three days, withdrawn and drained, and finally left in a bucket of water for another three days. In the end they were roughly dried and stretched. The traveller who C24 owned the only glove that was left was given a very large order, I remember, at is. ad. The owners of the es. te 1.0s. specimens called with a view to identifying the corpses, but were unable to do so.
I remember, again, there 'was a sudden call for 'candles from the Front, and our old friends Price's were invited to quote and, to submit samples. I recall strolling into the Fund's office some day's later to find a row of lighted candles, carefully shielded, burning a race against time. The one that lasted longest and spluttered least got the order. This was the only occasion on which 1 have noted an ecclesiastical atmosphere in the "CM." office. Of the tests necessary in connection with the big bull's-eye and other sweetmeat purchases the least said the soonest mended. I do know, however• that the staff of the "CM." got so heartily sick of " suckers" that the staffs of the associated Temple Press journals had to be implored to carry on the trials. Even the Ladies' Committee had to assist. The sugar that was used In these tests would have shocked 'Capt. Bathurst. Soap was bought on John Knight's reputation.
, All this shows that with the money subscribed purchases were made with infinite care. I wonder how many. other funds could prove the same efficiency The searches in Spitalfields and Wardour Street for hidden stocks of bachelors' buttons would alone reveal a, tale of heroism on the part of a present member of the paper's staff. He was on one expedition sorely tempted to buy a cabload of buttons at the. Bishopagate end of Spitalfielda and to sell them to another Hebrew dealer, who said he wanted some badly, at the Aldgate end. But the Fund got the buttons. There was always a great demand fer these in the M.T. on active service, I never satisfied myself as to whether this was due to the fact that the A.S.C. carried the grub up from railhead or to some less nourishing reason.
Packing was, for 18 months, carried out by a young army of voluntary workers, who, until Zeppelins became fashionable, worked on Friday nights till late. Thereafter, Saturday afternoons were selected, and the quick lunches in the interval of stuffing.cases were a refreshing feature of the organization. Some of the packers became very skilful, and could pack a standard-size case of mixed comforts to weigh 56 lb. gross exactly (the official limit) time after time. Others, with conspicuous impartiality, always succeeded in going to scale either 12 lb.-too light or 8 lb. too heavy. Now and again amusing errors were made in packing, as, for instance, when one enthusiastic lady pael,Fed several cases with one pair of boxing gloves in each, whilst a male helper, by now, I expect, a commissioned officer in the R.F.A., packed several footballs without the bladders, Mishaps were not confined to amateur helpers. A valuable Xmastide case 'of cigars went astray for many months, 9,nd was eventually discovered in use as a footstool in an A.S.C. depot office, at Havre I think it was, where it had rested unsuspected since its arrival.
Exigencies of labour and employment generally have decreed the transference of the Fund to the Army Service Corps headquarters. It will, no doubt, be as well administered under military control, but I doubt if the enthusiasm of the civilian helpers will be exceeded. The record has been a famous one, and all those who -helped to make it possible financially or by material assistance have, I know, earned the esteem of the 51.T., A.S.C.