FLINTSHIRE OBSERVER 7th January 1915 (Page 3 Col. 4)
£5 MONEY ORDER – AMERICAN SYMPATHY WITH BRITAIN.
The following letter has been received by Councillor J.H.ELLIS, Rhyl, British Isles, Relief Association, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, N.Y.
” Sir, A number of British residents in this section have formed an association to send words of good cheer and a little money to those in the Mother Country distressed by the war. I am a former resident of your city, and enclose a money order for £5, which we ask you to use to relieve immediate distress, preferably those with men at the front. Belgium refugees to be helped if you so decide. We shall be pleased if you will send an account of the local conditions, such as the number of men at the front from your city, so that we could read it at our meetings. We are sending in turn to other cities represented by our members. Every week during the war we shall send the above amount to some city, and we hope that our talents will show the bonds of our brotherhood are strong, and that there are no differences of sentiment among the people of British blood in foreign lands. We are 80 members now, and as you are going to help by administrating this $5, we are making you an honorary member of our association. We enclose our membership card, and hope that the war will soon end. To the glory and honour of the British Empire, Sincerely yours, M.J.WILLIAMS.
P.S. The membership card enclosed bore the Star and Stripes with the Union Jack, and was set out for weekly contributions.
FLINTSHIRE OBSERVER 7th January 1915 (Page 8 Col. 1)
RECRUITING IN WALES – A splendid Report – That Wales is now far ahead of the other three nations of the United Kingdom in the matter of recruiting was announced on Tuesday by Brigadier-General Owen THOMAS. Addressing the Monmouthshire County Recruiting Committee, at Dolgelley, he also gave striking statistics of the healthy condition of the troops in training at Llandudno.
Brigadier-General THOMAS said that in August, Wales was third in the list out of the four countries as regards the number of recruits in proportion to the population. But he was glad to be able to say that day that Wales was now far ahead of all nations. Wales had enlisted more recruits in proportion to population than any other part of Great Britain. They wanted more, and they must have them — they were having them. During Christmas week, out of 3,600 recruits stationed now at Llandudno, only 14 were absent through illness or other causes, which was a remarkable record and a thing which he had never heard of or seen before.
He paid a high tribute to the excellent character of the recruits, and said it was exceptional to have only two cases for breaches (hear,hear). This was unique in the history of any army. He wished for no better men, He had arranged a route march throughout Merionethshire of 200 men and six officers, accompanied by a band, to start at Bleanau Festiniog on the 18th inst., to encourage an stimulate recruiting in the county.