World War 1 , Middle East, Egypt, Cairo, 1915
1915Australian Imperial Force Troops parading in Cairo for distribution of Christmas Billies.
For Christmas 1914, most Australian Imperial Forces serving overseas received a “Christmas Billie”. The hampers/billies contained an assortment of items that the Anzacs on active service considered luxuries: tobacco/cigarettes, matches, razor blades, knitted socks, a pencil, writing paper, cake, sauces, pickles, tinned fruit and cocoa.
Socks and sauces were particularly welcomed. Men fighting in cold, wet winters were susceptible to developing trench foot. One of the best methods of preventing this malady, which could turn gangrenous and lead to amputation, was keeping the feet clean, dry and warm in a dry pair of socks. By providing the men with a spare pair of well-made woollen socks, they were able to wash and dry out one pair, while wearing the other. Sauces were coveted because they added flavour and variety to the otherwise salty, monotonous bully beef.
Details
Details
The logistics of packing and distributing Christmas billies was handled by the Australian Comforts Fund (ACF) and the Red Cross. It is estimated that 50,000 twere packed in Australia or London and then transported to Egypt and the small Greek islands of Lemnos and Imbros. Most of the sourcing and packing of the Anzac Christmas hampers was done by female volunteers.
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
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