Charles Beresford in his wonderfully researched book “The Bath At War: A Derbyshire Community and the Great War” writes about the parcels sent to Derbyshire men who were serving in the Army and Navy.
Pages 162-164
The Duke of Devonshire, in his capacity as Lord Lieutenant of the County, together with the mayors of Derby, Chesterfield and Ilkeston set up a fund to send a mixed Christmas parcel containing food, candles, boracic ointment, vaseline, dubbin, shaving soap and other items to each Derbyshire man serving in the Royal Navy or regiments at the Front. Cooperation was agreed with a similar fund in Nottinghamshire and before the end of November despatches of the parcels, each worth 5s. 6d., had been made to the men serving in theDardanelles and in the eastern theatre of the War. Separate funds were organised by local communities to send Christmas boxes to their own fighting men.
Each box going abroad was valued at four shillings and contained a pork pie, cake, a pocket stove, a tin of cafe au lait, Oxo and chocolates as well as tobacco and cigarettes. Those serving at home were to receive a smaller parcel worth three shillings.
“The Bath At War A Derbyshire Community and the Great War” by Charles Beresford COUNTRY BOOKS/ASHRIDGE PRESS 2007 ISBN 978 1 901214 91 8
The Derbyshire Times was quick to point out that the Derbyshire Christmas boxes did not contain any tobacco and urged its readers not to forget its Tobacco Fund. The cost of each personal parcel, now sent by the speedier letter post, had risen to 1s. and the reader could select the content, from 70 Woodbines, 50 Arf-a-Mo, 40 Gold Flake, 30 Glory Boys, 25 cigarettes in a side pocket case, 6 short cigars or 4 ounces of tobacco. The newspapers regularly carried letters from local soldiers at the front requesting not only cigarettes but also mouth organs, footballs, playing cards, batteries for electric pocket lamps and even some one to send them letters. Many of the appeals cited boredom when out of the front line as the reason. Letters were also published from sincerely grateful soldiers when their appeals were met. The receipt of local newspapers from home was always very welcome and The High Peak News assisted this by printing in the masthead of the front page the words "A Piece of String and a Stamp will carry this to a Friend in the Trenches''. There were printed dotted lines for the sender to fill in the name of the serviceman, his Company, Regiment and whether he was a member of the British or Mediterranean Expeditionary Forces. There were many ways in which the people at home could contribute to war-related charities. The British Red Cross and the Order of St. John designated Saturday 23rd October as "Our Day" and their Flag Day was tackled with enthusiasm across Derbyshire. |
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| Derbyshire Times 6 February 1915 |  |