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Red Cross Parcels
For Prisoners of War
Latest reports received nt Army
Headquarters and at Hod Cross Head
quarters indicate that Australian pris
oners of ivar in Germany and Italy are
receiving regular supplies of Ked Cross
und othor parcels.
Announcing this, tho Minister for
tho Army (Mr. Forde) said tho ar
rangements necessary to effect this
wer« proceeding smoothly, and stores
of reservo parcels lind been built up
with tho International Ked Cross at
Geneva, and in all prison camps where
Australian prisoners of war were de
tained.
Thero aro threo types of parcels be
ing forwarded from Australian sources:
(1) Tho standard Red Cross weekly
food parcel. This is sent weekly to
nil Australian prisoners of war, and
5000 of them aro packed in and des- .
patched from Canada. This is done by
arrangement with tho Canadian Eccl
Cross, and each parcel, weighing 10
lbs., of high food valuo content, costs
the Australian Red Cross £1. Tho
contents of these parcels aro standard
ised, and the. goods they contain aro
planned by dieticians.
(2) The next-of-kin (supplementary)
parcel. This may contain comforts,
such as knitted goods. Tho only edi
bles permitted aro chocolato bars pack
ed in tins. Thc next-of-kin parcel
may be sent only onco every threo
months by tho next-of-kin, or by tho
nominen of tho next-of-kin. These,
parcels must bo packed and despatched
by tho Red Cross.
(o) Permit parcels. These, which
may contain books, gumcs; Email musi
cal instruments, tobacco, cigarettes and
pipes, may be sent as often as desired
through accredited stores to individual
prisoners. Tho proceduro is for tho
storu to obtain a permit from tho Con
troller of Telegraph and Postal Cen
sorship in respect of the soldier con
cerned.
.. Mr. Forde said in addition to these
standard parcels tho Red Cross had
arranged a supply of special Christmas
parcels to Australian prisoners of war.
Tho Minister revealed that tbo Red,
Cross sorvico to Australian _ prisoners
of war would cost the society moro
than £250,000 during the coming year.
Tracing tho channels through which
Red Cross and other parcels reach the
Australians in Gormany and Italy, Mr.
Fordo said tho parcels wero first'
shipped to Lisbon, in Portugal, thenco
to Marseilles, and from thero to Gen
eva by special Red Cross train. Tho
parcels wero distributed from Geneva
by tho International Red Cross.
Mr. Forde also pointed out that re
cently whon reports wore recoivod that
prisoners of war wero short of cloth
ing, arrangements wero immediately
mado for adequate stock of clothing
to be sent to prisoners. On this occas
ion tho Red Cross sent 5000 blankets
¡md sets of underclothes to supplement
thc battle dress and great coats which
tho British Government, neting in con
corf; with the Commonwealth Govern'
mont, immediately supplied. j
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