5/4/21 - This embossed brass box was intended as a Christmas present to English citizens serving at Christmas in 1914 and was paid for by a public fund backed by Princess Mary. Princess Mary's original vision was to pay, out of her private allowance, for a personal gift to each soldier and sailor. It was later deemed impractical for her to do so, instead Princess Mary would lend her name to a public fund to raise the necessary support. Princess Mary addressed the nation in a letter from Buckingham Palace reading, "I want you now to help me to send a Christmas present from the whole of the nation to every sailor afloat and every soldier at the front. I am sure that we should all be happier to feel that we had helped to send our little token of love and sympathy on Christmas morning, something that would be useful and of permanent value, and the making of which may be the means of providing employment in trades adversely affected by the war. Could there be anything more likely to hearten them in their struggle than a present received straight from home on Christmas Day? Please will you help me?". Due to surplus funds, distribution was extended and everyone that was serving, whether at home or abroad, prisoners of war, and the next of kin of 1914 casualties received a box. The boxes contained a variety of items like chocolate and tobacco. This example is in extremely good condition with both the tobacco and cigarettes within in sealed condition. The included envelope and note are both intact and in pristine condition. Certainly an interesting item to add to any collection of WW1 artifacts.
