The
shadows of war were creeping across Europe during the early summer
of 1939. The Conscription Act had been passed and young Territorials
were being called to Colours. Lord Nuffield greatly admired the
universal willingness of these men and women to accept the Act
and decided to make life more comfortable and agreeable for them.
War broke out and he immediately set aside one million Ordinary
Morris Motors stock units, a gift that was then worth £1,650,000,
to create the Trust for the Forces of the Crown on 14th October
1939. At the same time he made an additional gift of £50,000 to
cover the first year's expenditure until a return on the investment
of the capital sum began to come available.
