DBE has a long history of supporting our troops in times of war.  During WWI, one single New York chapter sold $1,375,000.00 in War Bonds and 1,500 pounds Sterling was raised for a British plane inscribed with the name "Imperial Order Daughters of the British Empire in the USA" (our name until changed in 1920.) All of this, plus incalculable amounts of knitting, sewing, food kitchens, hospital supplies, donations of ambulances and contributions of time and service were given to keep the home fires burning on both sides of the Atlantic.

WW II saw members in all States working unceasingly.  Six ambulances and a mobile kitchen were provided.  Members worked with the British War Relief, American Red Cross, British Merchant Navy Clubs, Maple Leaf Clubs and many other war relief organizations.  After the war, some States continued to send food and clothing parcels directly to families in Great Britain.  These efforts did not go unnoticed and a significant number of citations, honors and medals were bestowed upon members for their unstinting contributions.

Louisiana DBE, with just over 80 members, cannot match such grand efforts.  But we are doing our bit.

At our Founders Day brunch this year, the local newspaper reporter/photographer was chatting to Josie, one of the members of the host chapter, about her daughter's fiancee, Wes, who is in the Navy Seabees at Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan.  Wes has become friends with some of the British troops serving there. Josie, from a  family with a long military background, felt that this was an opportunity for DBE to do something to make their lives a little less unbearable. So began the Louisiana care package effort to the British troops there, who receive almost no packages from home, according to Wes. 

The first packages contained toothpaste, tooth brushes, soap, sunblock, wipe-on deoderant, insect repellant, eye drops for the sand, soft drink powder, snacks like little boxes of raisins and cookies, chewing gum and T-shirts.  Within a few weeks, an email had been received to say the packages had arrived to much excitement and gratitude.  They said that everything was "brilliant." It was shared amongst the Brits at the base, and some put on a helicopter and sent to the British troops at the Forward Operating Bases in the field.  The troops in the FOB have much less access to supplies.  In Wes' email, he says: "Please know that a lot of stuff has been pushed to the guys who need it most - the guys at the FOBs, where getting a new toothbrush or a bar of soap is a luxury."

Then Josie (who is from Bury in Lancashire) received this letter . . . .

Dear Josie,

I want to start this letter with a huge and grateful thank you.

My name is Sgt. Chris .......;  I am from Skipton in North Yorkshire, which as you will probably know is not too far away from Bury.  I have actually exercised in Bury in the past at a little army camp about 15 mins from the centre of Bury.

If I am totally honest I am not too sure how to write this letter, as this is my 7th Tour and it's the first time we have received parcels from someone we don't know, and who seems to care about us and what we do out here.  Everything you sent has been very much appreciated. 

There is nothing in particular that we are desperate for, if I am totally honest, it is kind of nicer just receiving a parcel not knowing what is in it. Ha ha.

A little bit about us, we are known in the UK as 5th Regiment Royal Artillery, P Battery, the DRAGON Troop, out here in KAF we are just a 5 person crew with myself in charge, the rest of the Bty are deployed in Helmand, and work in 23 different locations.  Our job out here is to provide the Early Warning System for any ENEMY rockets or mortars that come into KAF.  Basically, we set an alarm off which allows people to get down on the ground or take cover before the rocket/mortar hits the Camp, so all in all a very important and busy job, especially for just the 5 of us.

We met Wes when we first got here, having a well deserved coffee at one of our UK coffee shops, we hit it off straight away and have become friends since, exchanging our stories and jokes, mainly of family and friends (Wes is always talking about Miriam) and playing cards, to which I have to mention us Brits win quite often. Ha ha.

Again before I go I just want to thank you and all of the other 81 members of the "Daughters of the British Empire" so much for your kind and warm generosity.  It really is appreciated, and if you, or any of the members would like to keep in touch with any of us, like as pen friends, then we think that would be fantastic.

Thank you and best wishes.

Chris ......   xxx