DHC: 1262M/0/O/LD/113/127

TYPED LETTER FROM FORTESCUE HEADED DEVONSHIRE PATRIOTIC FUND

Rough Draft

Dear Sir,

I beg to forward an audited Statement of the Receipts and Expenditure to 31st March last.

The Expenditure on Relief of Families would have been infinitely greater but for the changes made by the Government in regard to separation allowance. I may remind you that the Wife of a Seaman, who last August got nothing beyond her Husband's allotment, now receives 6/- a week, provided the Husband makes an allotment of £1 per month; and the Wife of a private Soldier, with three children, now receives 19/6 per week, as against 14/9, in addition to her Husband's minimum allotment of 6d. per day.

Notwithstanding this, the local sub-committees who investigate and report on cases still find that Grants amounting in all to a substantial sum per week are required to keep from want some of the relatives of those who are fighting our battles; and the need for assistance in relieving the sufferings of the sick and wounded cannot, I fear, fail to increase the continued increase of the number of men who are putting into the field.

Under these circumstances, even if we knew how long the War would last, it would be impossible to form any reliable estimate as to the sum likely to remain in hand at the end of it.

The generosity of the public continues, and subscriptions are still coming in, and though they do not keep pace with the expenditure, it is likely that there will be a balance–perhaps a considerable one–unexpended on the termination of hostilities. It is idle to suggest any scheme for the disposal of this yet. All that can usefully be said is that we believe there will be no difficulty in finding good use for any money that remains in supplementing Pensions and Grants to some of the disabled men, widows, etc., for whom the provision made by the necessary inelastic rules of the Government is in their circumstances inadequate.

DHC: 1262M/0/O/LD/139/1

PAMPHLET ON THE HISTORY OF

THE DEVON AND CORNWALL WAR REFUGEES COMMITTEE.