ROMANTIC LINK

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21946, 14 February 1946, Page 6

ROMANTIC LINK

CARE FOR WOUNDED 1914-18 WAR TROPHY RETURNED FROM CAIRO Now in transit from Gisborne to Whakatane, for display at a forthcoming show there, is a hospital bed quilt which provides an interesting and romantic link with the patriotic efforts put forward during the First World War, The quilt is of special interest to Whakatane residents, since ft was made in that district and carries the names of many Whakatane residents who assisted in preparing it. Many men who passed through the Giza Hospital in Cairo during the 191418 war will remember the quilt which lay on the Whakatane bed in that institution. It was notable for the many messages embroidered upon it from families in its home district, and it must have justified the prophecy of the president of the Overseas Club soldiers and sailors’ fund, Lady des Voeux. that "the occupant of the Whakatane bed will be greatly .touched and cheered by this token of sympathy from friends so far away." The bed-cover was forwarded io Cairo through the joint war committee of the British Red Cross and Order of St, John, and passed through the hands of .the New Zealand High Commissioner to the Overseas League for transmission to Cairo. Women of the Whakatane Women’s War Guild had each embroidered a square of linen with a message for the .troops in hospital, and these messages were in turn incorporated in the upper surface of the quilt • In 1928, .the trophy came back to the chairman of the guild, forwarded from Cairo by the wife of a former commandant of the Giza Hospital. This lady had found the address of the chairman in some old Red Cross files, and in her letter commented that the quii.t probably would be interesting for some of the former war-workers to see, "though with you as with us. a new generation will have grown up to whom the war is but a tale.” The trophy has since remained in possession of the chairman’s family, and i s being made available for display at Whakatane where several of the original workers are still living. Some of those who contributed to the preparation of the gift have died, including the chairman of the guild, but their families are still associated with the Whakatane district.