Comforts for the Black Watch

From the Dundee Evening Telegraph, 20th October 1915.

PITLOCHRY GIRLS' HELMETS APPRECIATED

By 6th Black Watch.

Writing on the 17th inst., a Pitlochry man of the 1/6th Black Watch says in a letter received to-day:—At present we are in the trenches.  We expect to be relieved on Wednesday (to-day) after doing a ten days' spell, and then take up reserves for the next ten.  Trenches and rest periods—that is how the months roll on here.  Things are fairly quiet in our part just now.  Our casualties have been very slight, and none of the Pitlochry boys have been hit so far.  All the Pitlochry boys got their sleeping helmets from the Public School girls yesterday, and are very proud of them.  Many of them wear nothing else in the trenches since they got them.  They are the neatest we have had so far.

The Battalion's Thanks.

A meeting of the 6th Black Watch Comforts Committee was held at Perth yesterday—Lord Provost Scott presiding.  A letter was submitted from Sir Robert Moncrieff, colonel commanding the sixth, conveying the thanks of the battalion for the committee's kindness.  Through the instrumentality of work parties organised by Lady Moncrieff, the following articles have been sent out for the comfort of the men:- 543 knitted belts, 574 pairs of socks, 194 helmets, 598 pairs of mittens, 281 hose tops, 37 mufflers, and 123 flannel belts.  The sum expended up to date by the committee is £148 9s 9d.  Sums of money were voted to different work parties for the provision of wool.

[Similar groups all over the country were providing similar comforts, of course. This account is interesting in spelling out that wool was provided to the working parties - knitters were not in this case expected to buy their own wool.  And presumably wool for the sleeping helmets was provided to the girls of the Public School.]