FISHERMEN IN WAR TIME 



had never seen, then talked of him as growing boys 

 and girls. 



The weeks, the months, the years passed for these 

 men, and their sorrowful lot became supportable 

 only because of the hope within them, never 

 crushed, that all would be well in the end. Some 

 fine-spirited letters and cards were sent from Ruhle- 

 ben and other camps, indicating the unconquerable 

 spirit of the deep sea toiler. 



At the close of 19 16 steps were taken officially to 

 make the best use of all existing organisations in 

 connection with beneficent war work, one great 

 object being the prevention of over-lapping and 

 wastage of energy and material. So far as the 

 fishermen prisoners of war were concerned, the Mis- 

 sion was selected by the Government as the channel 

 through which help for the captives should go, and 

 steps were immediately taken to extend the work 

 at the Fishermen's Institute at Grimsby. 



At this important branch, guided by the Lady 

 Superintendent (Miss Newnham), a very busy work 

 had been unceasingly carried on, and there was now 

 an unbroken despatch of parcels to the captives, 

 while from the Mission's headquarters at Gorleston 

 there were sent those supplies of tobacco without 

 which life was almost insupportable for fishermen. 



In every way the Mission took the best available 

 steps to relieve the hardships of the fishermen 

 prisoners and to make their unhappy lot more en- 

 durable. The success of these efforts was evi- 

 denced by letters received from the prison camps, 



222 



