Shire Patriotic Fund
The History Of Blacktown Shire WW2 Patriotic Fund
During WW2 a group of people from Blacktown Shire organised a committee with the aim to raise funds to help the military personnel from their district that were on active service/serving overseas. This committee became the “Blacktown Shire WW2 Patriotic Fund” and operated under the “Charitable Collections Act 1934.” While many of the Comfort Funds or Patriotic Funds were formed under the banner of “The Lord Mayor’s Patriotic and War Fund of NSW.” Blacktown Shire chose to stay separate apparently due to the perceived failure of the Comfort Fund/Patriotic Fund WW1.
The Comfort/Patriotic Funds were not without controversy. In an article in “The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate” Parramatta, dated Wednesday, June 19, 1940 titled “Merge Them.” Mr. S. G. Williams, president of the Parramatta sub-branch of the Returned Soldiers & Sailors I.L.A. and a member of Baulkham Hills Council suggests, that the central fund should cover the municipalities of Parramatta, Granville, Holroyd, Dundas and Ermington-Rydalmere, and the Shires of Blacktown and Baulkham Hills with each of the districts represented on the central committee. He further states that difficulties had risen in obtaining addresses because the military authorities supply only the names of those who enlist at Parramatta, which takes in the surrounding districts. He claimed by receiving their addresses it would ensure a more equal distribution of comforts to the soldiers of the whole district further pointing out that that there had been cases of overlapping, while in other cases soldiers had been “left out all together. He states at the meeting the previous week Councillor Shreeve of Blacktown had asked that close enquiries be made regarding local enlistments as large number of men in the Blacktown district are enlisting and they know nothing about it.
Guildford and Wentworthville Patriotic Fund opposed the suggestion made by Mr. Williams of Baulkham Hills Council at the following Monday nights meeting. The same night at Blacktown’s meeting no discussion on the matter took place. At a later meeting Blacktown District also refused to pooling their Patriotic Funds stating, “once you get away from the local touch, you will find it a hard job to raise money,” also send-offs to soldiers away from their home towns would lose the personal touch.” Councillor Stone of Blacktown strongly opposed merging with other areas committees as conditions on forming the fund in Blacktown was that it was to benefit only the personnel from their area.
The Committee of Blacktown’s Patriotic Fund meet in the “School of Arts” at Blacktown some members I have been able to locate names of are Councillor Stone (President), J. Simpson, Mr Pollock (Secretary 1943), Councillor Shreeve, Mrs Isabel Nelson, Mrs. Pfoeffer. The activities used to raise the money needed to purchase the items needed by the troops overseas were varied and some quite a novelty eg: carnivals, social evenings, Raffles, beauty pageants etc.
Each Committee raised funds to provide Comfort Boxes containing a variety of goods from home though the most treasured appear to be the signed letters carrying news of the home districts. Other items in the parcels were socks, scarves, gloves, mitten’s, underpants, singlets, washers, bags, pullovers, handkerchief’s, towels, pyjamas, shirt and shorts and of course sweets and chocolate. Many also received the dry and wet canteens (these were tickets enabling them to have a bottle of beer) and many a mother would send a boiled fruit cake packed in a “Willow Tin” some of the letters written to the Argus . Other items in the parcels were socks, scarves, gloves, mitten’s, underpants, singlets, washers, bags, pullovers, handkerchief’s, towels, pyjamas, shirt and shorts and of course sweets and chocolate. Letters written tell the story that when this most treasured item arrived it was shared by comrades and thoroughly enjoyed by all.
When a parcel was returned due to the person it was meant for not being located, the items were counted and then distributed evenly to many welfare organisation and families of those fighting for their country.
L.A.C. Granville Thompson Gaunt (R.A.A.F.) writing from the Middle East thanks “Blacktown Shire Patriotic Fund” for all the contents of his latest parcel particularly the “housewife” (cotton and wool). He writes “the contents of the parcel were made to order the bootlaces were ace high, too, as leather over here (Middle East) is of very poor quality. The folks at home are certainly doing a good of work for us boys over here, and I am afraid that mere words can’t express how much we appreciate it.”
One such fund raising was the proceeds from a pig competition (chasing and trying to catch a suckling pig) the animal was donated by Mr. Frank Wood of Plumpton. The money from the event was raised by Misses V. Wood and Betty Baxter and came to £4/2/6. The Blacktown R.S.L. used the money to purchase War Bonds. Other donations to the fund in January 1943 were received from Marsden Park sub-committee (£22): disposal of a doll by Mrs. Coles, Marsden Park (£13/10/6): per Mrs. Roche, Seven Hills (£7): Ladies Committee, per Mrs. Pfoeffer (£1/7/-): Mt. Druitt Ladies Committee, per Mr. Wolters (£52/17/11): per Mr. Bond, Northmead (£28). Fund receipts at this time equalled £5214/11/-.
In an article in the Argus Wednesday, February 24, 1943 titled: “Prisoners Thanks” Gunner Gordon Alexander Stevenson prisoner of war in Germany, sent the following message of thanks to Blacktown Shire Patriotic Fund:
“I received your parcel containing cards, tobacco, and books, for which I wish to convey my sincere thanks to all the members of the Fund.
Sources: The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate.
Quotes from personal letters kindly provided by their families.
Hazel Magann F.B.D.H.S