GIFTS FOR OVERSEAS

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21039, 15 February 1940, Page 4

GIFTS FOR OVERSEAS

SOLDIER MAKES SUGGESTION'S The following article written by a returned soldier for an English paper will be of interest to many New Zealand women whose husbands and sons have already left for service overseas. “A common trench-sight was a group of men gathered round the possessor of the last box of matches, perhaps using the last match. Whether we were East or on the Western Front matches were always a shortage, says the writer. There was a weekly issue with the rations, sometimes two boxes but often only of one; this was inadequate for the cigarette smoker, and a pipe-smoker used more. So matches in a parcel from home were a boon and the home folks filled up the corners with them when we had “trained them properly.” Cigarettes and tobacco were never wrong; their value cannot be stressed too much. Even If a soldier is kept well stocked there will be many j among his fighting friends who are | not so fortunate, and the rule in the j last war was “share and share alike” j amongst those groups of men whose I friendship became proverbial. “Spares” in Pipes Pipes get broken in normal times I or lost. Such accidents are a minor i tragedy to the man in the trenches or on the move and away from shops and canteens. He may have spares, but loss and accident are frequent. My spares were left behind with kit | that was to follow us “at once.” It ; did not. My favourite pipe was i smashed in attack and for six weeks | I was pipeless. Then came a Queen j Alexandra gift-parcel which contain- \ ed a cheap pipe arid tobacco. By that j time five other pipe-smokers were ; making the best of “fags” in my own j platoon. So anticipation of breakage or loss by putting in a pipe now and then would be appreciated by a son or husband pipe-smoker. One great difficulty of the smoker is rain. Matchboxes get sodden and useless if not protected. A small tin which will take a single box comfortably is a good substitute for the modern kind. The best protector I struck was a gun-metal container with a hinged lid which entirely shut in the matchbox. The kind with open sides to allow* for striking paper to show is useless. Cigarette cases sent should be strong rather than pretty and as water-excluding* as possible. Plain, strong, deep metal j ones are best. Food sent should be chosen according to where the soldier is vta- : tioned. On the Western Front in winter tinned meats and chocolate will always be right, including tinned tish of all kinds. Suitable in the East In the East the small fruit cakes made entirely of fruit in compact form by all vegetarian firms and protected by edible rice paper were far better than chocolate, which always melted and clung to everything else with lever-like tenacity. Tinned fruit i was more appreciated out there than ! tinned meat, though tinned meats in proportion were always popular anywhere.

Other odd and unusual items of use were tins of ointment for minor scratches, vaseline for easing rubbing of equipment, a few' handkerchiefs (they always get lost), and notepaper and envelopes. These fill in odd corners in packing most usefully. Clothing items have been made known but a pair of fresh socks was welcomed in any parcel, and men both East and West valued some light form of shoe, easily carried (like pumps), that could be slipped on when resting after a long march oi coming out of the line.