Christmas Gifts

Meltis Ltd Christmas brochure 1923 [X853/20/3/1]

Thursday 3rd December 1914: The Bedfordshire Times has made an appeal to the people of Bedfordshire to contribute towards sending Christmas gifts to all the men serving with the Bedfordshire Territorials. The number of these patriotic men already amounts to more than four thousand so the gift will be a small token. The suggestion is that each of them should be sent a Bedfordshire product, paid for by the people of Bedfordshire, and carrying greetings to the Bedfordshire Territorial. The works manager at the Meltis Works in Bedford has arranged to provide each soldier with a packet of chocolate biscuits packaged with a suitable label.

The cost of providing this gift for all the men is estimated to be at least £100. Those wishing to subscribe are asked to do so as soon as possible. The biscuits will be sent first to Territorials of the 5th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment  and the Engineers as they will be away from Bedford at Christmas. Next in line will be the Yeomanry and the E.M.B. Field Ambulance, and if enough money is given then packets will also be sent to Bedfordshire men in the Special Reserves and other battalions of the Bedfordshire Regiment who are away from home.

In Luton, Sergeant J. Horne, the Quarter Master of A Company of the 2nd Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment, has written to thank the members of the Luton Town Working Party for the presents of shirts which were received by the company while it was in the trenches. He has also appealed for help to be given to families left behind in Luton so that soldiers’ children will still receive the toys and other presents they hope for at Christmas.

Source: Ampthill Times, 5th December 1914; Luton News, 3rd December 1914