Category: Queensland State Archives’ Photostream About Fortitude Valley

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Australian Residential For Servicemen in London

The first exclusively Australian residential club for servicemen in England will be opened at the end of the month, providing accommodation, entertainment and meals for 110 officers and men a night.
The club, on which the Australian Comforts Fund is spending £20,00 sterling, is situated in a former private hotel which is being refurnished and renovated.
For 4/ a day, servicemen will obtain use of a single bedroom with telephone, hot and cold water and gas fire, also breakfast. Lunch will coast 1/6, dinner 1/9. For these meals, distinctively Australian dishes will be chosen.
In addition, a late night snack bar has been installed for the use of men returning from theatres.
Amenities include spacious lounges, card rooms, billiard rooms.
ACF Commissioner, Squadron Leader G. B. Cooper and ACF advisory committee in London sought the advice of the American Red Cross in designing the layout

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Australian Comforts Fund.

A further parcel of comforts has been sent away from the local Branch of the Australian Comforts Fund, to headquarters, comprising:- 56 bags, 257 handkerchiefs, 95 pairs of sox, 2 pairs pyjamas, 3 pullovers and reading matter. A parcel was also sent to the Red Cross comprising 3 dressing gowns, 1 old linen, quantity of children’s second hand shoes. Front-line newspaper correspondents in their dispatches to the newspapers often refer to the fine work performed by the Y.M.C.A. and Salvation Army, but rarely mention the A.C.F.
This is understandable as officers of the two former organisations come in close contact with the troops, the A.C.F. organisation operating at the base. While appreciating the splendid work done by the Y.M.C.A. and Salvation Army, the fact should be known that the A.C.F. throughout Australia is responsible for the goods supplied and the finance required for

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Comforts Fund Opens Club In London

London, Thursday.
The Duke of Gloucester paid a tribute to the Australian Comforts Fund when, with the Duchess of Gloucester, he performed the opening ceremony at the Australian Forces Club.
“I wish all who contributed to the fund could see for themselves what a very good job is being done here,” he said. “I should like relatives and the friends to know how very well the men are being provided for in London.”
Several hundreds of the R.A.A.F. rose to their feet and applauded enthusiastically when the Duke and Duchess entered the cinema hall at Australia House.
Twelve airmen, amongst whom were the most highly decorated members of the R.A.A.F. in Britain, were presented to their Highnesses.
The Duchess chatted with the airmen and expressed the hope to see them again in Australia.

Description source:
The Canberra Times, 1 April 1944

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Duke of Gloucester

As Patron Of The Comforts Fund.

Mr. S. S. Crick, Federal President of the Australian Comforts Fund, has expressed pleasure with a remark made in London by the Duke of Gloucester, “I look forward to a closer association with the A.C.F. as patron in Australia.” The Duke was speaking at the opening of the new £25,000 club and hostel provided by the A.C.F. in London which will accommodate 150 Australian servicemen on leave daily. Mr. Crick added that he intended to bring the matter before a meeting at the Federal Executive of the A.C.F. with a view to issuing a formal invitation to the Duke to accept the office of patron.

Description source:
Southern Argus, 11 May 1944

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Digital Image ID 23935

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Gloucesters Attend Australian Functions

London, Fri – On the eve of his 44th birthday, the Duke of Gloucester, Governor-General-Designate of Australia attended three Australian functions in London yesterday.
He and the Duchess of Gloucester performed the opening ceremony at the Australian Forces Club, visited the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen’s Help Society and attended the second anniversary celebration at the Boomerang Club.
…
High Commissioner Bruce welcomed their Highnesses and conducted them on a tour of the five-storey premises. He explained that the needs of Australian servicemen in London had hitherto been generously met by the Victoria League.
The Duke joined a group of Australian Air Force men who were among the club’s first guests, and told them: “What we are looking forward to most in Australian is sunshine. Last time I was there Sydney treated me very well but I only had one day of sunshine in Melbourne.
The airmen told

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Y.M.C.A. Welfare Work In New Guinea

An idea of the nature of some of the work performed by YMCA welfare officers in Dutch New Guinea is given in an air-mailed report to Mr. Albert Charlesworth, YMCA honorary chief commissioner. The report state that amplified gramophone music and broadcast news from the ABC are provided for troops at YMCA-ACF centres, where coffee and biscuits are handed out at all hours.
One welfare officer has supplied more than 1,000 hot drinks a day. He also visits isolated areas to provide entertainment, which is awaited eagerly by the troops. An open-air vaudeville in which the “leading lady” was a brawny digger, was recently arranged by a YMCA welfare officer. Free refreshments, provided by the ACF, were handed out to the audience.

Description source:
The Advertiser, 7 July 1944

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Digital Image ID 23944

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Australian Comforts Fund

Digger’s Appreciation

Mr. W. Taft, of Seaspray, recently received a letter from Private Charlie Booth, who prior to his enlistment with the A.I.F. worked for Mr. Taft. The letter contained the following appreciation of the splendid work being done by the A.C.F. with out troops abroad.
“I would be glad if you would show this snap to anyone you hear running down the A.C.F. as they are doing a great job out here. As well as the frequent issues of tobacco, cigarettes, soap etc. every man in the A.I.F. abroad received one of the boxes you see in the snap containing a Christmas pudding, cake, tin of fruit, tin of cream, tobacco, papers, Minties, tooth paste, handkerchief, etc. A pretty good effort.”
The snap referred to shows an officer and a sergeant distributing the A.C.F. Christmas boxes to a line of happy Diggers with Charlie well

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Australian Comforts Fund.

The following cable has just been received from Lieut-Colonel Woodburn, Chief Commissioner, Australian Comforts Fund:-
“Impress upon public danger relaxing efforts even when peace declared, estimate at least one year to re-embark our men, during which period they will require all comforts as urgently as ever. In recent interview with General Monash he made special appeal for Australian Comforts Fund to make every provision for attention our men for considerable time after cessation of hostilities stating his belief that needs of troops will remain vital and must be met. This opinion endorsed by every competent military authority. Necessity of providing liberal funds imperative to carry on our work until complete successful termination of war and Australian withdrawal. You may rely there will be no wast or extravagance on our part. All your commissioners entirely accord with these views.”

Description source:
Cairns Post, 21 November 1918

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Australian Comforts Fund

Depot open daily. Morning and afternoon tea is served free of charge to all service men on leave. New has just been received that Major Gorman, the A.C.F. Commissioner, has just had a marvellous escape from Greece. it is hoped to have full details published later. The circular knitting machine is now working well and any ladies who with to learnt to use it are invited to call at the depot, where they can make an appointment for lessons. The price of this machine was £8, and a flat machine which originally cost £70, has been purchased for £17, and will be in use early next week.

A large number of soldiers on final leave last week have specially asked that their thanks be conveyed to all the ladies who so generously provided scones and cakes for their tea.

Description source:
Kalgoorlie Miner, 9 May

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Tropical island an ideal setting for Service personnel on leave

At Arcadia Beach on Magnetic Island, just off the Queensland coast at Townsville, is what has been voted by servicemen and servicewomen the most beautiful recreation and rest centre they have known.
Most suitably named, the island has been a magnet for all troops on leave, and at Arcadia, perhaps the loveliest of all the island’s many beaches, the YMCA and YWCA, under the direction of the ACF, have established a leave centre.
A line of huts near a grove of tall coconut palms offer a holiday such as many “southerners” have never before known.
The centre, which has taken the name Arcadia, is staffed by the Army and members of any branch of the Services are entitled to spend from one to four days’ leave there.
During the past month, 467 Waaafs, Awas, Wrans, Aamws and Aans, and 1193

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