Lighters instead of matches!

Lighters instead of matches!

known 28th July 1918

The war diary for the 32nd Divisional Train gives an insight into the daily life of soldiers and how the Army Service Corps provided supplies of all sorts. Joseph Smith has been promoted to Acting Quartermaster Sergeant of 1 Coy, the Headquarters Company and suggests to his commanding officer that it would be more economical to supply lighters instead of matches for the soldiers. The suggestion is rejected in part because lighters are deemed too dangerous, which considering where they are and what they are doing is interesting! A trial is finally allowed. See entries under William Kenyon. 28 Jul 1918 QMS letter suggesting small petrol lighter in packs as substitute for 2 boxes of matches per man per week costs given as: 1 lighter per annum is 5d and occupies 1/15 part of weight of pack equivalent to 104 matches 104 matches cost 3s Refused by Div HQ on grounds that it is dangerous and a general probability of large proportion being lost in relatively short time small trial recommended QMS is probably Joseph Smith

Created by: , Nigel38339

  • British Army T/31221 Acting Company Quartermaster Serjeant Royal Army Service Corps