Thanks to ladies who aided POWs

Big operation to supply lifeline parcels

Tribute was paid 100 years ago to the hardworking women who had run the Stirlingshire Work Depot.

It was from the depot in Stirling’s Clarendon Place that parcels of food and clothing were sent out to prisoners of war connected to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

What the Observer termed `this fine patriotic effort’ was brought to a close following the signing of the Armistice.

The operation began in 1916 and up to March of 1918, the volunteers were providing, on average, 200 men with essential supplies. This meant the dispatch of parcels at the rate of 50 a day.

However, by spring, 1918, the number of prisoners had increased and the depot had no fewer than 548 incarcerated men on its books. The daily number of parcels leaving the premises had jumped to 137.

In addition to receiving parcels of food, the women also made sure the prisoners received a complete outfit in the February and August of each year.

Since May, 1915, the depot had sent away 50,040 parcels of which 4000 contained clothing.

Fourteen ladies were engaged in the mammoth task of packing the parcels while five women worked in the office.

Letters of thanks for the parcels were sent to the ladies by many of the POWs and some recipients dropped in at the depot to express their thanks personally, following release.

Although the depot had stopped supplying the prisoners of war, it was still sending food and clothing to members of the A&SH who were still in France.

To mark the end of work in connection with the POWs and to thank those involved, a reception attended by the Duchess of Montrose was held at Stirling’s Municipal Buildings.

A total of 160 ladies attended and presentations were made to Mrs McGrigor of Beechwood, vice president of the A&SH POW Fund, which helped organise the depot operation, and Miss Tasker, its secretary.

The Duchess praised the unflagging enthusiasm of Miss Tasker and added: “We know these parcels were a godsend to the prisoners and that many would not have returned home had it not been for the food sent out to them.”

And it wasn’t only in Stirling where ladies had done their bit for the war effort. A letter in the Observer explained how work had been going on in Bridge of Allan both to collect sphagnum moss for dressings and gather, repair and dispatch clothing for troops.

According to a letter in the Observer, the Bridge of Allan operation began in Trinity Church Hall in September, 1914, before moving to Chalmers Church Hall and later Ashley House.

In 1917, volunteers packed 7875 parcels comprising 36,873 articles. A year later the number of parcels had jumped to 8571 with 41,855 articles inside.

More than 280lbs of sphagnum moss had been collected since May, 1918, and this had been made into 2650 dressings.

Despite the cessation of hostilities, there was still much to be done, said the letter, and additional workers were `greatly desired’. dilapidated instrument, the body of which, according to Banjo Man himself, he made out of an old cheese box.’ He never performed in the main streets of the town, preferring instead to tour the back courts, greens and villas in the suburbs.

`Many people were kind to the old minstrel in the faded velveteen coat and he had his regular customers, as he called them, who he stated would feel much disappointment if he missed visiting them at least once a week.’