FISHERMEN IN WAR TIMS 



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wood, to which port a considerable number of trawl- 

 ers had been attracted by the good prospects of the 

 Irish Sea fisheries. The branch was progressing 

 satisfactorily, but the developments of the war ne- 

 cessitated a temporary lessening of the Fleetwood 

 efforts, the falling off in this respect being equalised 

 by increased enterprise in other directions. 



No effort was spared to help the fighting forces 

 of all classes, the result being that several of the 

 Mission branches became favourite resorts of large 

 numbers of sailors and soldiers. To minesweepers 

 and fishermen who were far from home the insti- 

 tutes became particularly welcome as temporary 

 homes, where beds and food could be obtained, and 

 letters written to and received from home. This 

 letter-writing became a most important feature of 

 the work, and proved as great a pleasure to the 

 man as it was a comfort to the womenfolk and chil- 

 dren from whom he was separated by many hun- 

 dreds of miles for long periods. Part of the insti- 

 tute work consisted of attending to sick men, and 

 often enough minesweepers and fishermen who had 

 survived disaster at sea through mine, submarine 

 and storm were received at a Mission institute and 

 provided with sorely needed dry, warm clothing and 

 boots, and with hot food, tea, coffee and cocoa. 



Many grateful letters of thanks were received by 

 the society from shipwrecked men who had been 

 cared for at an institute; and frequently these 

 thanks were supplemented by letters from naval 

 officers warmly praising the society's work— indeed, 



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