The success of our war depends upon our economy in some things and our liberality in others. It is true we must save money and retrench expenses but, on the other hand, we must be prodigal in munitions and generous in our treatment of our soldiers.
Our local Fund for keeping the Bedfordshire soldiers at the Front supplied with cigarettes and tobacco now amounts to £165 17s 2½d and provided 6,634 parcels. We have received many notes of thanks from local men who are bravely and cheerfully bearing their part in the campaign in various branches of the service.
The Fund was established for the benefit of all the Bedfordshire soldiers who go out to the Front in answer to the call of the country, and the local Territorials who are on active service share in the gifts. There are representatives of the County Territorial Force in the firing line, in the 1st Field Company of the East Anglian Royal Engineers from Bedford, which includes a number of men from Luton.
We are also sending to the Hertfordshire Territorials at the Front, and we have made arrangements for consignments to be despatched to the 5th Bedfords when they arrived at their station abroad.
One can understand the urgent messages that come from our men on the field of battle, "Please send us something to smoke". For some at home it may seem a paltry thing to ask in return for risking their lives for their country, but to the men who have to put up with the terrible nerve-shattering conditions of everyday trench life it is a different matter.
It is not only desirable but important, and indeed the duty of everyone who can help in the work, to see that out gallant soldiers are kept well provided with the comfort they ask for just as long as the war lasts, and for that reason we hope that the local Cigarette Fund will continue to receive generous support.
The Fund has now been the means of providing 199,020 cigarettes and over 7¼ cwts of tobacco. For every sixpence subscribed, we will send out to some Bedfordshire man at the Front 2oz of tobacco, 30 cigarettes and a box of matches.
[Luton Reporter: Monday, August 16, 1915]