Combine forces with the Australian Comforts Fund

The Australian Comforts Fund (A.C.F.), formed in January 1940, and worked in conjunction with the Salvation Army, the Y.M.C.A. and the Y.W.C.A. Its 'comforts' ranged from hostels, clubs and canteens in Australian towns, Jerusalem, Alexandria and Singapore and elsewhere, Christmas hampers, embarkation kits, and film screenings. The poster depicts men and women of the military service, including the airforce, infantry and navy. They are all in uniform, and smiling against a dark blue background. The red star symbol of the A.C.F. sits at the top right corner of the poster. At the very top in blue ink is the title 'Combine Forces with the Australian Comforts Fund' in blue ink, while at the bottom of the image are the words 'GIVE TO THEM THROUGH THE A.C.F.' in red ink. This poster was issued by the Victorian Division of the ACF. It depicts a grouping of healthy, smiling Australian servicemen and women. The services represented are (l-r) AIF , RAAF, RAN, WAAAF and AWAS. The image is framed top and bottom with text and a grouping of badges from the following organisations; ACF, YMCA, YWCA and the Salvation Army are in the top right. 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.