CHAPTER XVI 



HELP FOR THE FISHERMEN 



The public were quick to realise their deep indebt- 

 edness to the fishermen who, with unflinching forti- 

 tude, pursued their work of various sorts at sea, 

 and there was a widespread and generous effort to 

 do something which should help the gallant men to 

 bear their heavy burden. 



This benevolence took two forms, directly and 

 actively doing personal work amongst or for the 

 fishermen, or supporting the societies which 

 specially concerned themselves in the welfare of the 

 men and their families. 



There were a number of bodies which were more 

 or less associated with the fishermen, but there was 

 one in particular which worked solely amongst 

 them, and this was the Royal National Mission to 

 Deep Sea Fishermen. That well-known organiza- 

 tion, when the war broke out, had been doing a rare 

 and uplifting work on land and sea for more than 

 thirty years. 



Originally started as a branch of the Thames 

 Church Mission, the Royal National Mission to 

 Deep Sea Fishermen began operations amongst the 



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