COMFORTS FOR TROOPS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 February 1940, Page 5

COMFORTS FOR TROOPS

FIGHTING SERVICES APPEAL. GENERAL FREYBERG’S SUPPORT The Fighting Services Welfare Appeal, which is being launched this week by the Y.M.C.A. and Salvation Army with the object of raising £16(1,000 to provide for the recreation and comfort of the mon in the forces, has received timely endorsement from Major-General Freyberg, commander of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, who has cabled the National Council of the Y.M.C.A. as follows:— “Understand appeal pending. Hope people of New Zealand realise how much we appreciate work done by National Patriotic Society, Y.M.C.A., and other societies for men here in Egypt.—Freyberg.” Y.M.C.A. officers and a representative of the Salvation Army accompanied the First Echelon abroad, and had instructions to secure suitable buildings and proceed at once with their services to the men. The Cairo representative of the English Y.M.C.A. undertook to facilitate the work of his New Zealand colleagues, "and Adjutant Bicknell of the Salvation Army carried full authority to establish and conduct a centre for the social welfare of the New Zealanders.

When the troops left New Zealand, their destination was a close secret. Therefore it was considered possible that they might find themselves camped in some place where there were no resources for establishing the huts. The foresight of the National Patriotic Fund Board enabled supplies of recreational equipment to be carried on the troopships, together with marquees, crockery, tinned fruits, milk, cocoa, biscuits and other light refreshments. A sum of £3,660 was at the disposal of the Salvation Army and Y.M.C.A. officers on the spot to enable a prompt start to be made with their valuable work for the troops.