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Far away from home and loved ones with the spectre of death hovering over them; the volunteer and the conscript had little to be cheerful about.

This meant they treasured the few comforts there were - hot food, a good night's sleep and a smoke.

Soldiers received a weekly ration of cigarettes or tobacco, but those on the home front were encouraged to send more to those facing the bullets.

A Guernsey businessman set up a tobacco packing factory in the island to make use of the lower duty and postal rates to allow parcels to be sent at half the cost of those sent from the UK.

Location: St George’s Hall, St Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 2BH
Image: St George’s Hall (1916-1918), courtesy of Priaulx Library, compared to how the building stands today.