FIRST ECHELON

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 17 August 1940, Page 3

FIRST ECHELON

NOT BEING FORGOTTEN SUPPLIES OF COMFORTS The New Zealand official war corre- : spondent being with them, the activities of the men of the Second Echelon of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force have ! been more in the news than those of the 1 men of the First Echelon in the Middle * East. This does not mean, however, J that the First Echelon is being over- I looked or is likely to be by the National i Patriotic Fund Board and the vast organisation of workers that has been ; built up in the last ten months to pro- j vide the members of the fighting ser- J vices from this country with comforts i from their homeland. When the change was made in the : destination of the Second Echelon after i its departure from New Zealand, result- j ing in its arrival in the United King- j dom instead of in Egypt, the board's ' plans to supply a gift parcel' to each j member of the First Echelon were up- ! set, but, happily, the board has been j able to make arrangements to make J good this position. When the First Echelon left New j Zealand, comforts were put aboard the j transports for the benefit of the men ! .during the voyage, and in addition sumi i .in New Zealand currency of £6.735 for i i fit men and £6,250 for sick and wound- 1 ed were remitted to Egypt to provide! ; comforts for them. The gift parcels which had 'been made up throughout! ; the country for the First Echelon in re- j sponse to the board’s appeal were sent; in the ships which took the Second ; Echelon, together with 5,000 cases of apples and a supply of cigarettes, the ; understanding at that time being that j the Second Echelon also was going to Egypt. These plans were altered after , the ships left New Zealand owing to ; the rapid change which took place in the international situation, and the Second Echelon went to England. Consequently the gifts were not received by the First Echelon. Under the circumstances, it was decided to arrange for the parcels to be distributed among the Second Echelon in England and for a fresh supply of parcels to be sent to the First Echelon at the first opportunity. To meet the position in the interval a cable was sent to Egypt asking that additional comforts be purchased for the men from funds in hand. Since then it has been possible to make arrangements for the despatch of a considerable consignment of comforts totalling 866 cases, to the First Echelon. The consignment com- | prised approximately 7.200 gift parcels i there were also 66 cases of fruit ; cake which generous Wellington donors | had given to the board. • Although in war time, there are shipj Ping difficulties which do not make it ! easy to arrange for despatches of goods • just where and when required, parents | and friends of the men can rest assured i that the First Echelon is not being forj gotten. __ |