In 1914 Australian women with loved ones soon to sail away to war worked themselves into a frenzy of knitting and tailoring. One hundred years ago this week sensitive "Clio" of Melbourne's Punch told this poignant story.
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"The mother of one of our soldiers now in Egypt is feeling fearfully worried. Her boy suffers from the cold, and fearing the severity of a winter overseas she made every preparation for protecting him against chills so far as warm clothing could do it. Somebody suggested lining his big overcoat with red flannel - red being mentioned as having some special virtue on account of the warmth of its colour - which she did.
"The immense success of it incited her to further employ her energies by lining every garment the boy possessed in the some way. Finally, from pyjamas to undervest, he was completely red flannel lined.
"Imagine her motherly consternation when she heard that our troops had landed for their winter quarters in a nice warm corner of Egypt. Her state of mind is simply chaotic.
"She never could stand the sight of his sharp, shining bayonet, the look of its cold steel made her shudder; but she now pictures it very usefully employed in the peaceful act of ripping every bit of red flannel out of the boy's wardrobe."
And "Clio" was scathing about air-headed Melbourne society women who had responded to appeals for used clothing for Belgium's war refugees by donating glamorous ball gowns! "Clio" doubted balls were a priority for the women of that tragically ravaged land.
