For the Sake of the Soldier: Voluntary Work of Brisbane Women

by Rita Macleod

So far, all the wool used by the guild has been donated by the squatters of Queensland, and since all the work is voluntary it is possible to sell the spun and carded wool at less than the ordinary cost price. The carding is either hand-carded at the rooms, or it is done at the mills through the courtesy of the mill-owners.

The rooms are open every Tuesday and Friday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., third floor, Courier Building. And what a busy and picturesque scene is presented on these days. On each side of the long room are women sitting at the spinning wheels, about 20 wheels all moving at the same time. It is here that beginners are taught, and experienced spinners work industriously. Members are allowed to buy the carded wool, but all wool spun at home on the hired machine is returned to the guild, where it is weighed and examined by the committee. A small book of instruction was compiled and issued last year so that women in the country have every facility to learn. The guild has been of inestimable value to women who have a number of relatives at the war, and who found the price of wool a severe tax on slender means. The movement has steadily grown throughout Queensland in the last year, and no better testimony of the work could be shown than the splendid exhibitions of wool displayed by amateur spinners at the Brisbane Show, both this year and last year, and at the recent Toowoomba Show. The renewal of spinning shows the determination of women to use every means possible to alleviate the hardships of war.

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Queensland Soldiers’ Comforts Fund.
FOR MEN IN THE TRENCHES.

The thought of the severe strain of trench life, whether in the deserts of Egypt or the blood-stained fields of France, has always struck a chord of compassion in the hearts of women. It seemed so terrible that, in addition to risking their lives, the soldiers should be faced with daily discomfort; and when the Queensland Division of the Australian Soldiers’ Comforts Fund was established in Brisbane, in September, 1915, there was a big response to the appeal for help. It was felt that no one here in the comfort of ordinary life could do too much to alleviate that discomfort, and all over Queensland women set to work to provide what they knew was required by the men in the trenches. The local branch became headquarters, and to-day there are over 40 branches throughout the State, with the central headquarters situated in the basement of Parbury House.

This general fund provides comforts for all Queensland soldiers irrespective of the unit to which they belong. Over £5,000 has been donated by the people of Queensland, and this money is used to buy the materials for garments and socks, to provide groceries and sundries required by the men, while a certain amount of money is sent monthly to the commissioners abroad to provide coffee stalls, entertainments (picture and variety shows) and musical instruments for men right in the trenches and firing lines. Honorary commissions have been appointed by the Commonwealth Government, and it is they who acquaint the Australian governing bodies of what the men require. When Mr. Budden (late Chief Hon. Commissioner for Australian comforts) was in Brisbane he said that in one month alone they had provided 81,960 socks to men in the front trenches. The colossal task undertaken by the women may be imagined when this was quoted as one item. At another time, 25,000 tooth brushes and 25,000 tins of tooth powder were provided. To all these requirements the Queensland Division contributed her share. In the first year the hundreds of consignments sent abroad included among the comforts 5,830 shirts, 11,607 pairs of socks, 1,232 tins of milk, 763 tins of fruit and jam, 5,000 packets and tins of cigarettes, 1,250 tins of fish, and a list of articles too lengthy to enumerate. And in no way has the work slackened since that month of September, 1915.

The headquarters at Parbury House are the scene of many busy hours. The room is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Saturday, when it closes at midday, and one of the honorary secretaries is on duty daily. The workers are occupied continually with sewing or cutting out, distributing material or wool to be used up, arranging the goods for various consignments, packing cases to be forwarded abroad, or unpacking the contributions from one of the 40 country branches. There are ten sewing machines in the room, and when they are all being used, and the various other sections of the organization are centres of busy women, the room seems one hive of activity. The honorary secretary’s table, with a telephone, is in the centre, while to the left is a circulating library, initiated by the Girls’ Sub-committee to augment the funds. This committee has also made considerable sums through the sale of cakes and home-made sweets, while individual members make and sell home-made jams to swell the funds. All work is voluntary, and no effort is spared to increase the comforts for the soldiers, and the committees are continually improving their methods and means of attending to the wants of the men who are in the trenches. The movement is essentially alive, and if the men could see how earnestly and unselfishly the women were considering their wants, they would feel cheered indeed. As it is, the letters that pour in from all sources show the deep appreciation of the men. The wonderful part is their gratitude—they do not seem to realise the tremendous sacrifices they themselves are making. Time and again the commissioners report that the soldiers will say quietly, “You are too good to us,” and when coffee is served near the firing line or soup made, the soldiers seem to take it as a message from home. All gifts are bought or made in Australia, if possible, and a “comforts” badge or message put on the articles. The fact that they come direct from Australia increases their value a hundredfold in the eyes of the men. General Birdwood voiced the thought of the Australians when he sent the following message to those in charge of the Comforts’ Funds: “All members of the A.I.F. send our most grateful thanks to the kind wishers in Australia, who have done so much to help the Australian soldiers through times of difficulty and discomfort in the field. What that help has meant none but those who have seen it on the spot can possibly realise.”

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