Letter from Lieut. W.E. Gilliland to Anne MacDonnell, 14 July, 1916. Letters 1916-1923 W.E. Gilliland

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This is a letter from Lieutentant W.E. Gilliland of the Depot Des Prisonniers de Guerre to Anne MacDonnell, honorary secretary of the Irish Women's Association (IWA), founded to provide assistant to Irish prisoners of war. Lieut. Gilliland requests that the IWA liaise with other committees sending parcels to Prisoners of War. The problem is that some prisoners are getting so many parcels from different quarters that they are in a position to sell their surplus. He also concerned that prisoners were now requesting items such as watches and safety razors. A handwritten note at the bottom of this typed letter, addressed to Lady Clonbrock, says that this is a copy received from the IWA and that it will interest her. The note is signed by H.D. Chamier. Lady Clonbrock, Augusta Caroline Dillon (née Crofton), (1839-1928), was an active member of the IWA.

National Library of Ireland Clonbrock Estate Papers, Collection List No. 54; Ms. 35,796/11/2 https://letters1916.ie/item/5896 English W.E. Gilliland 1916-07-14 Depot des Prisonniers de Guerre, Philipopple, Bulgaria. Anne MacDonnell Male World War I (1914-1918) World War I (1914-1918)

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 Depot Des Prisonniers de Guerre, Philipopple, Bulgaria. 14th July, 1916. Dear Miss MacDonnell, We are indeed grateful for all your Association is doing for the British Prisoners of War here. But, might I ask you to get in touch with Regimental and other Committees which are sending parcels. The fact of the matter is in far tttoo many cases tins of provisions and chocolate, and underclothing, are being sold right and left. This practice is naturally more general among men who receive parcels from many organisations. There is one man who gets parcels from ten Societies and I have known him to receive as many as eight parcels at a time. He is not generous. I suppose he has had seventy to eighty parcels already. He gave me one to giv give to some man who had up to then not received any at all. Another point : I have reason to believe that the men, in response to your Association's request to let you know what they want, are asking for all sorts of things :- watches, safety razors &c To save time, I am now going to do a preliminary censorshi censorship of letters at the request of the Commandant. Will you please ignore all demands for luxuries unless I have countersigned the letter or card asking for them. It is a bit distressing to put it mildly, when you find men selling 4.oz. jars or bottles of meat extracts for twopence, large cakes of chocolate for tenpence and hand knitted woollen socks for ninepence. There is a ready market for most things, and I am sure watches and safety razors would be quickly disposed of. (Sgd) W.E. Gilliland, Lieut. Dear Lady Clonbrock, Above copy of letter sent me from I.W.A. will interest you. Yours HO Channier. Galway 18/9/16. W.E. Gilliland Letter from Lieut. W.E. Gilliland to Anne MacDonnell, 14 July, 1916. Anne MacDonnell Letter from Anne MacDonnell to Lady Clonbrock, 21 September 1916Letter from Anne MacDonald to Lady Clonbrock, 3 February 1916Letter from Lieut. W.E. Gilliland to Anne MacDonnell, 14 July, 1916. Depot des Prisonniers de Guerre, Philipopple, Bulgaria. Letter from Lieut. W.E. Gilliland to Anne MacDonnell, 14 July, 1916.