21st February 1941
WOMEN'S CONSERVATIVE AND UNIONIST ASSOCIATION

Mrs Dickinson presided at a meeting of the Association yesterday week and introduced the speaker, Mr. Thornton of the Economic League, who enthralled his listeners with his vivid and realistic account of the work of the Merchant Navy. As Mr. Thornton was in the Merchant Navy during the last war, he spoke from first hand experience. He gave a graphic description of the indomitable men who have to contend night and day with mines, torpedoes and planes seven days a week with only a rest of four hours, sometimes for long periods. All these hardships were, he said, faced cheerfully as a matter of course in order to ensure an adequate food supply. Even when a sailor escaped from a wrecked ship he was in harness again as soon as he could get on another ship. The speaker went on to say that it was nothing less than criminal to waste food brought here under such extreme conditions. In conclusion, he urged that nothing be wasted and that no idle gossip should be the cause of death for these brave men. Mrs Bell proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Thornton, and Mrs Bowker seconded the resolution.

1941 INDEX