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For
over eighteen months the "B.S.C." has been maintaining contact
between the boys, and girls, in blue or khaki and their cobbers on the
home front who are still able to do a bit of bush-walking. No matter how
good the various Comforts Funds may be, there is no one but a bushwalker
can send bushwalking news and views to bush walkers on service; and how
those boys at battle stations do appreciate the photos of their beloved
bush and the latest news of their favourite camping spots '.
Inaugurated
early in 1941 by The Sydney Bush Walkers as a cooperative effort of all
the clubs affiliated with the NSW. Federation of Bush Walking Clubs, the
representative group of workers was named the Bushwalkers' Services
Committee. Its objects were to collect the names and addresses of all
the members of all the clubs who were out of physical touch with their
clubs through being in the fighting forces, and to combine the efforts
of the various clubs to provide for those members some of the things
that are dear to the hearts of bushwalkers.
In
some of the smaller clubs so many members had joined up that there was
hardly anyone left to send comforts of any kind, or to go walking and so
provide the right kind of news for letters. The B.S.C. brought into the
general pool the membership of the larger as well as the smaller clubs.
Its members quickly got to work and made simultaneous drives for the
names and addresses of club members on service, and for supplies of
bushwalking photographs and magazines, and of books, papers, etc. Its
representatives have attended all social functions armed with cameras
and paper and pencils, and have collected the letters to the lads on the
spot.
Regular
fortnightly postings have been maintained for over eighteen months, as
has a steady flow of cash to meet the expenses of postage, stationery,
photographs, and occasional small parcels of peanuts, cigarettes, etc.,
as well as a large Christmas parcel. A very fine Christmas card,
designed and produced by a member of one of the federated clubs,
expressed seasonal greetings. In addition to books, magazines, and a
steady stream of letters, approximately 3000 photos of interest to
walkers have carried "mental comfort" to men stationed all
round the world.
The
B.S.C. mails to comrades in the Navy, Army, Air Force, Merchant Marine
and Women's Auxiliary Forces. The number of names and addresses in its
register has grown to a hundred, and each week the inward mails bring
letters of thanks and appreciation for the work this committee is doing.
This
magazine will be mailed by the B.S.C. as soon as supplies are available,
and will surely be passed round in many ships and camps. If it reaches
any club member who has not been receiving anything direct from the
B.S.C., will he, or she, please note there is only one reason for the
apparent neglect. Postings can only be made to names and addresses that
are known; so write to the Bushwalkers' Services Committee, c/o Paddy
Pallin, 327 George Street, Sydney, and tell them your club and how to
address mail to you. Yes, our very good friend, Paddy, is in this, too.
He has lent a room for the Committee to work in, for which all
bushwalkers are extremely grateful. We are also deeply appreciative of
the indefatigable work of our liaison officers, the members of the
B.S.C.
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