Red Cross Ladies 1 – ‘The Bay’ Men 0

Shire-wide news extracts from the Moruya Examiner of this time in 1914, provided by the Moruya & District Historical Society:

GOOD RANGE – Captain F. Hutchings, of the Bergalia Rifle Club, informs us that their range is considered to be one of the best outside Randwick. It is comprised of four targets and has the very latest telephone installed, communications with the marker being available from all ranges. 22/8/1914

BODALLA (From our Correspondent) – A meeting of the women of Bodalla was held on Wednesday at 11.15 a.m. There was a large and representative gathering of ladies and their daughters, Mrs. Hutchison being elected to the chair. Mrs. Hutchison, in addressing the meeting said: –

“Ladies, we are called together here to decide the best way of raising money for the Red Cross, which is a society formed to provide medical necessaries and hospital comforts for our men should they be needed (which we hope not). In this sad time of war our men are going to the front, and we all know that such a person requires more comforts and feels climatic changes than when in health, and although we may not have any of our own going we, as wives and mothers, feel we would like to do something in preserving the lives of other women’s best beloved.”

Mrs. Hutchison was elected president, Miss Mort secretary and Nurse Salter treasurer. It was decided to make a house to house collection …22/8/1914

RED CROSS APPEAL. A PLEA FOR HASTE – In Australia a Red Cross Society has been sanctioned to assist the military authorities of the Commonwealth in the defence of the Empire, and to relieve and benefit our men who are serving with the expeditionary forces.

The Red Cross Society is urgently wanted, not only to meet the needs of this grave crisis, when the Empire is in danger, but to provide a permanent and efficient organisation which in times of peace will make careful preparation, and in times of war and stress will be ready to give immediate assistance…

It is notified that those who are preparing soldiers’ bags and hospital bags should complete them as quickly as possible. It is urgently necessary that as many as possible of these bags should be made available at once…

The soldiers’ bag for use in military hospitals will be in a new but washed pillow-case, containing the following articles. End to be stitched up and the list of contents sewn on the outside on a piece of calico: – Two flannel shirts, large, to be washed; two pyjamas, strong, large, to be washed; two colored handkerchiefs, to be washed; two pairs large socks, to be washed; one reel cotton, white; one reel cotton, black (No 20); one packet No. 4 needles; two black lead pencils (not indelible); one letter pad, envelopes, pen and nibs.

The hospital bag will be a new but washed pillow-case containing the following articles: – Six large collar studs, two pens and nibs, two medicine glasses, one ½ -minute thermometer, two enamel basins, one kidney tray, one reel self-colored thread (strong). One of these bags to every 50 soldiers’ bags sent from any one centre. 22/8/1914

BATEMAN’S BAY (From our Correspondent) – The Bateman’s Bay attempt to raise a team of soldiers proved a failure.
Raynor Bros. mill has stopped work; the spoke factory has stopped also; the cows are all going dry and the fish won’t bite, so needless to say we are all in a pretty bad way. 22/8/1914

Sixteen 100 years ago booklets containing articles for the years 1899 to 1913 are available ($5 ea) from the society’s rooms. Copies of local newspapers from the 1860s to date can be viewed at the society’s Family History Research Centre (Ph 4474 3224) situated at the rear of the Pioneer Museum in Campbell St. Moruya (mdhs.org.au).