Christmas Billies
From Waler Data Base @ Facebook. Image: Daily News, 21st March, 1916
In WW1 from Christmas 1915, the army serving overseas were given a gift filled billy, one each, and a half a pound of Christmas cake.
Billies made it to the Middle East, however weren’t allowed to England and France – so “billy boxes” – cardboard boxes measuring 8 x 4 x 3 inches – were sent to those places, packed with gifts.
All billies had to be painted brown or black and 3 part of a quart size. Nothing big, however full of little treats. Boxes and billies were supplied by the War Chest Fund and Red Cross for those wishing to pack one themselves. They could not direct it to anyone in particular. Many donors included a little note with their name and address, and got a lovely thank you letter in return from soldiers.
The billies were put to use after being received, boiling water for tea of course, although didn’t last long at war for various reasons. Tea and sugar were the only rations the men could be sure of, so not packed as gifts. Their food was mostly bully beef. They longed for tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce to liven it up, which sometimes arrived in a welcome Christmas billy.
The billies/parcels were filled with various goodies. Food had to be the sort that didn’t need cooking. So tins of sardines, wrapped biscuits etc were given. Sock, mittens, hats, scarves – hand knitted. Shaving gear, toothbrush, sweets, tobacco, matches, lime juice, tinned fruit, chocolate, cards, riddles, chewing gum and more. Whatever was donated and fitted in.
Image: Sydney Mail, 30th August 1916
Image: The Sun, 24th October 1915
The billies and billy boxes were packed into crates by Horderns, then sent on lorries to the docks to be shipped to the war. Men in hospital in Egypt, France and England also got their billy or billy box.
Most of money for gifts was raised by the Australian Comforts Fund, a war charity, and the Red Cross; they also welcomed donations of the gifts to put into billies. Women volunteers packed the billies and boxes. Some families who could afford it, packed a billy and donated it already filled.
10 Light Horse was raised as a squadron, then a regiment in October 1914.and formed part of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade in Egypt. The Regiment served dismounted in Gallipoli and fought at the charge at the Nek on 7 August 1915, and at Hill 60 on 29-30 August. The only Victoria Cross awarded to a Light Horseman recognised the valour of Lieutenant Hugo Throssell at Hill 60.
After Gallipoli the Regiment was bought up to strength to defended Egypt from the Ottoman Army advancing on the Suez Canal. Through 1916 they drove the Turks across the deserts of Sinai, participating in the battles of Romani and Magdhaba.
In 1917 as part of the Desert Column they advanced into Palestine and participated in the bloody battles to break the Gaza-Beersheba line and helped capture Jerusalem. They participated in the Es Salt Raid in May 1918. In August they were equipped with swords and retrained as cavalry. In this role they took part in the rout of the Ottoman army in the Jordan Valley, a campaign the light horse referred to as “The Great Ride”. In September the 10th was the first formed regiment to enter Damascus.
Turkey surrendered on 30 October 1918. After the end of the war, the regiment saw action in putting down the Egyptian uprising of 1919. The Regiment was one of the few to return home as a formed unit.’
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