WWI Australian Comforts Fund Original Reports
Two separate reports, formal and informal, by Frank Cridland Assistant Commissioner ACF to the Chief Commissioner and/or C.A. Le Maistre Walker, General Secretary.
These are not dry statistics, but well written accounts of the logistics of supply, observations on the contemporary war scene. Also, personal anecdotes and musings as he travelled northern France and Belgium.
1. Three Weeks in France During the Armistice, 1918. 10 typed pages telling of establishing a forward stores depot at Charleroi (Belgium)….'One rather pleasing feature of the trip. Was to see the number of gangs of German prisoners working on the roads, putting them back into their original state of repair after work being well "stonkered" by the Bosch in his retreat. They mostly looked a harmless, docile crowd, feeling very sorry for the mistake they had made. Many of them saluted as we drove by. They adopted a different attitude to the French citizens when they were the overlords of the land a month or so before. Great numbers of Chinese labour gangs are at work all over France. They're a different class to the Chinese we know in Australia. Fine, big, fat, rather good looking fellows, many of them with a perpetual smile….'
2. Nine page typed and signed report dated 16th December 1918 to the Chief Commissioner ACF London. A record of distributing goods to the 4 or 5 divisions around Abbeville/Amiens.
Overall good condition for age, paper lightly toned, a couple of dog ears, and the first 2 pages have pulled from the fastening pin. (33x21cm)

Estimate $180-250