MAIL TOBACCO FUND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 12 August 1915, Page 3

MAIL TOBACCO FUND

12th REGIMENT BAND'S EFFORTS. MESSAGES FROM THE TRENCHES. SUBSCRIBERS THANKED. Each mail brings a host of postcards written in the trenches and the hospitals thanking various givers for tobacco and cigarettes sent to soldiers at the front or to sailors on the water. As is well-known, each 6d subscrib&d purchases 2ozs. of tobacco and 30 cigarettes. Any soldier in any regiment_ can be chosen and the tobacco and cigarettes can be sent direct to him. The reason why 6d can purchase the quantity of tobacco and cigarettes that out here costs 2s 6d or 3s, is that the Imperial Government does not collect duty on the gift tobacco, and the Army authorities carry the cases free of charge. Some time ago it will be remembered the 12th Regiment Band gave a concert in aid of this fund, when between £9 and £lO was collected. By last mail the Band received quite a number of postcards returning thanks for the gifts. As requested by the Band, the tobacco was distributed among the Nelson men at the Dardanelles. The following are extracts from some of the postcards : "I return my hearty thanks to the good people of Nelson who sent this welcome gift, which we are now enjoying in the trenches. It is good to be remembered in this way, and you have gladdened the hearts of many to-day." is' fronj Corporal Gordon Hooper, machine gun section attached to 10th Mounted Rifles. Nelson. Another soldier writes : "Deaa- Sirs, — Many thanks for cigarettes arid tobacco, which arrived at a most opportune time, for I was dead broke as regards smokes, and cigarette are not obtainable here. . . . Except for shrapnel we are having a quiet time here- at.present, but live in hopes that things will move ciuickly' in the near future. "I have to thank you very much for your most welcome, gift, a gift we cannot thank you enough for, as our stock of smokes are just out. and if every band treated us as well we would be very well off."—Trooper A. H. Hanmer. E. Reid writes: —"Your most thoughtful present arrived at rather a critical I was clean stumped, and no ■ : ssue can be had until Saturday. You are indeed the 'Bestest Band,* and were indeed proclaimed on all sides as such here to-day." F. McKee writes :— "Many thanks for tobacco. It was a regular God-send, as it is unprocurable here." Another trooper has this on his post-card :—"Will think of the Nelson people when I return, and will Mot for-o-et to give them a call." . ° From F. G. Gronin, "The cigarette and tobacco which accompanied this card were muc happreciated, and I wish to thank you very much. We are still havincr as good a' time as circumstances will permit, and are not downhearted.