COMFORTS FOR A.I.F.

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 27, 1 February 1941, Page 8

COMFORTS FOR A.I.F.

DISTRIBUTION DIFFICULT

(By Trans-Tasman Air Mail—From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, January 25. - One of the first boats to enter Tobruk ". after its fall would be a ship laden with comforts from the Australian "'' Comforts Fund, according to Major Eugene Gorman, Australian Comforts /Fund Commissioner, who has just re- ': turned from the Middle East. , ■'•-■■ Describing difficulties of distribution, '•■". Major Gorman said it was impossible "to distribute comforts for individual -units in the Middle East because of ■"'- transport difficulties, and because the s;: fighting lines were too widely dis- -'■ persed. Distribution in bulk only was possible. Australian fighting forces in the Middle East were extended over ' an area covering a journey of more than 1000 miles. Comforts commissioners were getting the fullest possible ', .co-operation from the Navy, Army, and . Air Force authorities. The first conr'" sideration of transport, however, was to get food to the men in the front 7r. line. Arrangements had been made for f a distribution of comforts to the men *• at Bardia just before the first engage-: ment and immediately afterwards. Illustrating the-hazards of getting comforts promptly to the troops, Major Gorman said that-in getting Christmas hampers by boat to Sollum, a landing lighter was bombed by the Italians, and 18 lives were lost and 27 .- men.were wounded.....Not all of these were Australians. The sergearit, who ' was signing for the delivery of .the : hampers, was killed.