Australian Imperial Force
Received from Surgeon-General W. D. C. Williams, Director Medical Service, A.I.F., the sum of ———— stg. to be utilised and accounted for by me in terms of Circular Letter No. E 1/15, dated 13-2-15.
———————— O.C.
Place ————————
Date ————————
Australian Imperial Force
Circular Letter No. E 1/15.
O.C.,1. Forwarded herewith the sum of ———————— stg. to be expended by your authority and direction on such articles as you may consider requisite for the general improvement of equipment, stores, or other items which in your opinion will conduce to the general well-being and comfort of the patients in hospital under your command.
2. Attached receipt forms to be signed in duplicate and returned to me.
3. When three-fourths of the amount allocated to you has been expended, you will furnish this office with expenditure vouchers in duplicate. This will enable me to keep the High Commissioner informed as to how the moneys are being spent, and to arrange for further grants if considered necessary.
Surgeon-General,
Director Medical Services, A.I.F.
[Copy]
May 20, 1915.
O.C.
Govt. Hospt.
Tanta, Damanhour and Shebin el Kom.1. I enclose herewith cheque for {£50 £25 £25} to be expended in terms of the Circular Letter attached. Will you please sign the accompanying receipt in duplicate and oblige.
2. It is not desired that the expenditure of the money should be restricted to Australians, as such a course would, I think, in a hospital be impracticable and undesirable. If, however, this is used for all the Allied troops under your care, then the next instalment which may become necessary might well be provided from the "Military Hospitals Fund" or the "Egyptian Red Cross Fund."
3. I shall be glad if you will communicate to the men in the Hospital the fact that comforts are being supplied from the Fund of the British Red Cross Society (Australian Branch), the administration of which fund is in the hands of Surgeon-General W. D. C. Williams, C.B.
(Signed)
James W. Barrett,
Major,
for W. D. C. Williams,
Surgeon-General.
Grants of Money made to Various Hospitals from Red Cross Funds
The Egyptian pound is to the British pound sterling as 100:97·5.
In addition, a considerable amount of money had been spent in other countries. There was, however, no knowledge in Egypt of the sum which would be ultimately available. Furthermore, in the absence of instructions from Australia, no serious departure had been made from the policy originally laid down. In fact I am doubtful to a degree whether any Red Cross movement should in normal conditions go beyond the successful policy adopted.