=Welcoming the Troops at Durban.=

At Durban also the heartiest of hearty welcomes was given to the
incoming troops. In connection with the Transvaal Relief Committee there
was a commissariat department for the purchase of bread and fruit, etc.,
and a Welcome Committee to receive the soldiers as they came.

At first the idea was only to provide bread and fruit for the men on
landing, but it was soon found, as at Capetown, that the men had letters
to post and money to send home. It was also found that the men wanted
some one to write letters for them, and this work also was undertaken,
young ladies gladly giving of their time to this work; and thousands of
friends by their assistance heard of the arrival of their dear ones at
Durban.

Christmas cards were also freely given to the men, who wanted in this
way to send Christmas greetings home; and, in fact, Tommy Atkins had
hardly been so spoilt before--not even by some good ladies in
England--as he was during these eventful weeks at Durban. The letters
and messages sent home were in many cases of a most touching and tender
character, and once more Tommy Atkins proved himself to be anything but
an 'Absent-minded Beggar.'

As at Capetown, money in large sums was entrusted to the workers to
send home, and quite a large number of watches were handed over for the
same purpose. In this work ministers and members of all Churches took
part. The military authorities cleared as many difficulties as possible
out of their way, and all who took part in it found it a labour of love.

There was no time to do much direct spiritual work at either Capetown or