1 The Dundrum Prisoners of War Organisation
APPROVED BY THE WAR OFFICE
AND
Under the auspices of the Central Advisory
Committee, R.D.F. Hon.Sec.,
MRS ARTHUR GOFF,
Belfort House, Dundrum,
Co. Dublin. Dundrum, Co. Dublin. Feb. 29th.1916 Dear Madam Many thanks for your letter. I do not think that there has really been
much over lapping in the case of your circle
& me. The Irish Womens Assocation only commenced
in May. 1915. I had an acknowledgement
back from Harley just before Xmas1914.
He and Mahon got a weekly parcel from
that on, until I saw the Irish Womens group in
the day papers. I as my idea has always been
to prevent overlapping I at once wrote to the
commanding officer as I told you. Mahon was
the only man I asked to keep. I see his wife
often & she subscribes to his parcel. All the
other men I gave up only sending to them when
they wrote & and asked me for something such as boots:
Walpole I have also been sending to for a
year. Only a few weeks ago I found out what
Dept he belong to as he never put it on his card.
Gillard I commenced to send to again
the beginning of Dec as I was asked by an adopter
for a Connaught Ranger. I felt it was no
good asking the I.W.A. about him as well 2 As unless adopters sending through their society
they will have nothing to do with them.
It seems a pity to work like this as
often one is asked for or offered money to
send parcels to a man of a certain Dept.
Personally I cannot understand it especially
as its I understand that it is the wish
of the Government and the Director General to
encourage private adopters & more so when they
are willing to send through an approved
any regular adopted men on our list (
Yours) McMahon &Walpole fit exactly the
same clothes as you have sent, with the exception
of the great coat & coat & trousers. We sent out
things in Nov. & Dec. Every man whose names
had ever been on our list got a Xmas parcel.
containing 1 1/2 lbs of home made plum pudding
besides other foodstuffs. All our foods we get
wholesale. This week the parcels contained
tin roast mutton, tin salmon, tin milk, 1/4 lb tea, 1 lb sugar
1 1/2 lb gingerbread, 1/2 lb cabin biscuits besides the bread from Berne
& tobacco from London, 250 cigarettes a month or 1 lb of tobacco.
Please do not trouble to answer this. I am to see about the
prisoners myself that I think everyone must be able Yours Truly missus Goff 3 The Dundrum Prisoners of War Organisation
Approved By the War Office
and
Under the auspices of the Central Advisory Committee, R.D.F. The funds of the above organisation entirely keep the men. It undertakes to look after
each prisoner by a weekly parcel of foodstuffs, a supply of bread from Berne, tobacco
and cigarettes out of bond from the British and American Co., London, besides underclothing,
boots, etc. Every man costs under 5s. per week, which includes everything except clothes. A parcel is also despatched at once to every new appeal., of which there are many. No
matter what regiment the man may belong to the parcel is sent and continued until such time
as the man is taken on by his own Regiment or Depot. Any man already on the list can be adopted for 2s. 6d. per week, all goods being sent in
the adoptor's name; or 6s per week for a new man or one of the adoptor's own choosing. All contributions of money, clothes (new or old), boots etc., will be gratefully received. Office hours at No. 1 Sydenham Road. — 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. every day except Wednesdays
and Saturdays; Tuesday afternoons from 2-30 until 6.30 p.m. for labelling and packing, when
all visitors are welcome. Tea — 4.30 p.m. A Committee Meeting will be held every Friday morning at 12 noon, this being formed
of any subscribers who may wish to attend. All work absolutely voluntary. Communications and contributions to be addressed to the Hon. Secretary — MRS. ARTHUR GOFF,
Belfort House, Dundrum,
Co. Dublin