1 Hon. Sec.,
Mrs Arthur Goff,
Belfort House, Dundrum,
Co Dublin Dundrum, Feb 25th 1916
Co Dublin Dear Madam , In September last I wrote to the commanding
officer of the Connaught Rangers, sending him a list
of Prisoners of War I had been looking after since the
beginning of the year. In fact I had had acknowledgement
from C Hanly before Christmas 1914 Colonel Clancy's reply I enclose. As I was then a
very small organisation I feared to take the responsibility
of men who had others to look after them & as the
Irish Womens Association were getting the Departmental fund
for looking after the men I felt it would not be
right to keep them. So I wrote to the Irish Womens Assoc
to that effect requesting to be allowed to keep on
Wallpole. & especally Mahon. who was a local man
& to I had sent a wealthy parcel since Xmas
1914. Their reply I also enclose. It seemed to me unreasonable
especally as all his people live near me & his wife
wished me to look after him she subscribed 2/- per
week towards his parcels. When I got Sergent Alfred
Cowell's letter I wrote again to the I W A because
they had agreed to my him amongst others
. My letter I enclose also their answers. I am sorry to give you all this trouble & to 2 send you so much correspondence but I fear it is
the only way to explain these things If not asking too much I would like all enclosures
returned. I now send you a list of the Connaughts to
whom I have been sending parcels from time
to time. If you tell me it is no longer necessary
to do so I will stop. The names with an X against
them we have sendbeen sending a weekly parcel. to
from Berne, tobacco & cigarettes from London I supply them with all underclothes including
boots. The weekly parcels they have been getting since
the beginning of the year. The bread soon after
that organisation was started. I have many of the . & many more
from English. & the Irish Womens Assoc
is the only organisation which does not seem
to want their funds lightened by having
taken off their hands. I hope that you will continue to allow us to adopt
the men with the X against their names. Hoping you will forgive my troubling you at such
lengths. yrs truly E Goff P.T.O. 3 All the men I have on my list are being payed
for by different adopters, It being I understand
the Government & the Directors Generals wish
to encourage such private individuals &
share influential friends 4 The Dundrum Prisoners of War Organisation
APPROVED BY THE WAR OFFICE
and
Under the auspices of the Central Advisory Committee, RDF 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 weekly from Berne, tobacco
and cigatettes 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 adopter's name; or 5s. per week for a new man or one of the adopter's own choosing. All contributions of money, clothes (old or new), boots, etc., will be gratefully received. Office hours at No. 1 Sydenham Road. — 11 a.m. until 1 p.pm 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 addresses to the Hon. Secretary — MRS ARTHUR GOFF,
Belfort House, Dundrum,
Co Dublin