Boxed wooden chess set issued by the Australian Comforts Fund

Boxed set of wooden chess pieces. The box is supplied with a sliding lid which has been impressed in red with the ACF star and letters and deep finger depression assist in opening the lid. A paper label printed in blue advertising 'Set of modern Chessmen' , COPYRIGHT No 21.192 / MADE IN AUSTRALIA', with an illustration showing & naming the six individual designs is pasted to the reverse of the lid. Each long side of the box is impressed in red 'A.C.F.' Each playing piece has been impressed on its base with the ACF initials within a star.

The Australian Comforts Fund (ACF) was first formed on 24 August 1916 from a number of State based organisations that had been individually formed at the beginning of the First World War to send comforts to the troops. Its motto was "Keep the Fit Man Fit", in order to not duplicate the work of the Red Cross. The ACF raised money through various activities to buy and make items and food that could be sent to the troops. They also ran small canteens near the front lines that served food supplies and provided other items such as primus stoves, clothes, sporting equipment, games, newspapers and magazines. The ACF also ran a residential and recreational club for troops on leave in London called the AIF and War Chest Club. With the close of the war, the ACF officially ceased to exist on 16 April 1920, only to be revived in 1939 with the outbreak of the Second World War. In addition to the Adoption Appeal, where civilians were asked to buy a stamp a day to cover the daily cost of comforts for one soldier, the ACF provided embarkation kits to troops containing items such as soap, clothes, tobacco, razors and barley sugar. The despatch of Christmas hampers to troops was also popular, and by the close of operations more than 1.5 million hampers had been despatched. The ACF officially closed on June 27, 1946. This particular example of an Australian made wooden chess set is typical of the style issued by the ACF. It was left, unclaimed, at the Sydney GPO in the late 1970s.