World War 2, Palestine, 1941

The Australian Comforts Fund (ACF) was first formed in August 1916 from a number of individual state-based organisations created at the beginning of World War I. At the conclusion of World War I, the ACF officially dissolved, however it was revived in 1939 with the outbreak of World War 2 to provide comforts to a new generation of soldiers.A significant majority of Australia volunteers during World War II worked the Australian Comforts Fund officially recognised by the Australian Government to support and assist Australia's servicemen and women. The ACF was run largely by women volunteers who undertook the majority of administrative and manual work.The aim of the ACF was to provide free 'comfort' items that were not supplied by the services to all Australian servicemen. These items included singlets, socks, pyjamas, cigarettes and tobacco, razor blades, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste and reading material (newspapers and magazines). Additionally, the ACF also provided recreational facilities, rest rooms, sporting equipment, gramophones and records to the troops, as well as regularly providing writing materials such as pencils, paper and postcards.The ACF relied on fundraising and donations to supply these items to the Australian soldiers. The ACF also regularly dispatched Christmas hampers to troops abroad. The Christmas hampers generally comprised of a plum pudding, cake, small tin of fruit, tinned cream, razor blades and tobacco and were donated or sponsored by members of the public. By the close of operations in 1946, more than 1.5 million hampers had been dispatched to troops by the ACF. The ACF provided a source of comfort, support and encouragement for the troops abroad and offered a means for women at home to contribute to the war effort and identify with the men in the trenches. The ACF acted as a vital link between home and the battlefields. The Australian Comforts Fund officially closed on the 27 June 1946