BRANCH NOTES AND NEWS.
UNDISTRIBUTED WAR MEDALS.
206
The Ypres Times.
It is officially and regretfully stated by the War Office that the medals of over
20,000 officers and nurses who served overseas during the Great War are still undistributed.
In many cases the medals have been despatched to the recipients but have been returned
through the post owing to non-delivery due to change of address. Ex-officers and nurses
or their legatees or next-of-kin, who have not yet received their medals, should, the War
Office states, make early application, as reductions in the staff of the War Office Medal
Branch will cause great delay in dealing with belated claims. Where claims have already
been made and an application form completed and returned to the War Office, a further
claim need not be submitted except to notify change of address. All applications should
be addressed to the Secretary, War Office (A.G. 10), 27, Pilgrim Street, London, E.C. 4.
RULES FOR ORGANIZATION.
An informal meeting of Branch Chairmen and
Secretaries was called together in London, on
March 15, for the purpose of thoroughly discus
sing the best possible Branch organisation. The
only drawback to the meeting was that the ex
pense of travelling precluded the attendance of
Secretaries at some distance from London, but
there was a keen and big meeting of representa
tives, both from districts in London and from
places such as Maidstone and Southend. Rules,
which it is proposed to issue immediately they
have been passed by the General Committee at
Headquarters, shortly to be called, were read and
discussed in detail, and it is most satisfactory to
be able to recGrd there was no single question
of policy or regulation which was not heartily
and universally approved by those present.
Those Chairmen and Secretaries who were able
to attend at the meeting in London were as fol
lows B. W. Hewitt, Tunbrige Wells; C. H.
Palmer, SouthendF. H. Davies, S.E. London
Capt. E. Alliston, N.W. LondonG. Griffin
Smith, SouthendA. G. Prest, E. London A.
Copland, E. LondonColonel A. Wood Martyn,
Maidstone.
SOUTHEND DISTRICT BRANCH.
The chairman of this very go-ahead branch
writes to us as follows The district branch are
holding a ball at the Queen's Hall, Queen's Road,
Southend, on Monday, April 30th, 1922. The ball
is given for funds required to build a small hut
for the men who were in the Ypres Salient during
the great war. The object of the club is to have
concerts, lectures and convivial evenings.
I am very happy to say that our branch at
Southend is rapidly becoming a keen and thriving
community.
PERSONAL TO MEMBERS.
The balance sheets mentioned on a former page
cannot be published to-day. They have to be
adopted by the General Committee, and that Com
mittee should not hold its first meeting under the
new and vigorous conditions until our President
the creator of Wiperscomes back shortly from
abroad.
Anyhow, those few columns of figures are decep
tive thingsthey say next to nothing about the
subjects they representnothing about the in
numerable interviews with lawyers, authorities,
critics not a word about the grave, prolonged ill
ness of one of those chiefly concerned, of lost
documents, of errors in estimatesnot a word
showing our sense of gratitude to those who so
loyally helped the League's enterprises with strenu
ous and voluntary efforts (at last we hope that we
have their addresses and shall be able to send the
letters of official thanks so long overdue)finally
they indicate nothing of the very costly loyalty of
those real friends of Wipers who were determined
that no financial set-back should be permitted to
mar the credit of an Institution which lives for
the honour of the Defence of Ypres, that school of
adversity.
All that members need for the moment know is
that the bills are paid, and thanks to money
advanced by members themselves. Through one
very generous donation the ball has not cost the
League itself one pennynot even the Insurance
premium.
So the League begins life afresh with a clean
bill of health, ready to multiply and prosper and
achieve its objects. And it is time for me to make
my bow and to give place to one who made history
at Ypres itself and not merely in its League.
(Signed) Chairman (pro tem)
of the Executive Committee.
