In this episode, I look at six support services which all begin with the letter P!
I start with the Post, a very important service, because letters were the only form of communication between the soldiers and their families.
Then I look at the Military Police and the work of the Provost Marshal. Next it is the turn of the prisons, which held errant soldiers, often putting them to work unloading and loading ships and trains.
Then we see how the padres and chaplains of the various religious denominations looked after the men, either through religious duties, by providing facilities or through entertainment.
Finally, we look at the important work of printing the thousands of maps, orders and instruction pamphlets required by the army, so it could go about its daily business. Then there was the roaring trade in less serious items, such as Christmas cards and entertainment programmes.