Australian Comforts Fund: June appeal...

An Australian First World War poster issued by the Australian Comforts Fund (A.C.F.) to promote the sale of raffle tickets for their June appeal of 1918. The poster is text only printed in black on cream card. First prize was a Merino Ram " Billjim" of pure "Booabula" blood, or alternatively, 100 pounds. Tickets were 1'- and could be brought at the Melbourne Town Hall. The ram, donated by J.A Wallace Pty.Ltd of Wanganella NSW, was on display at the wool warehouse of Goldsborough Mort and Company Ltd in Bourke Street. The raffle was held during the 40th Annual show of the Australian Sheep Breeders' Association with a total of £750 being raised. The ram that was raffled came from as stud near Deniliquin in NSW. The Australian Comforts Fund (ACF) was first formed in August 1916 from a number of individual state based organisations that had been created at the beginning of World War I to send comfort to the troops. Many local women's groups formed early in the war to provide various 'luxury items' to supplement the Australian soldier's army rations and personal kit. The Australian Comforts Fund quickly grew into a fundraising, collecting, sorting and distributing machine which rivalled the scope of the Red Cross. At the conclusion of World War I, the ACF officially dissolved. However it was revived in 1939 with the outbreak of World War II to provide comforts to a new generation of soldiers. It ceased operation again on 27 June 1946.