alf mcm Posted 17 October , 2014 Share Posted 17 October , 2014 The British Red Cross has put the first batch of VAD record cards online. Bad news is that it's only for initials A & B {at present}. More names will be added on a regular basis. Good news is that the records are fre to view, and include images of the actual record cards. See the records here;- http://www.redcross.org.uk/About-us/Who-we-are/History-and-origin/First-World-War Regards, Alf McM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 17 October , 2014 Share Posted 17 October , 2014 Thanks very much for that. I have immediately found the records of a relative of mine, in fact twice over, with different addresses and different information. Here http://www.redcross.org.uk/About%20us/Who%20we%20are/History%20and%20origin/First%20World%20War/Card?fname=dora&sname=bennitt&id=17043&forwards=true and here http://www.redcross.org.uk/About%20us/Who%20we%20are/History%20and%20origin/First%20World%20War/Card?fname=dora&sname=bennitt&id=17042&backwards=true One record says she enrolled in November 1915 (about a month after her husband died of wounds received at Loos) but puts her date of engagement as June 1916. Can anyone explain the difference please, and why she has two cards. Cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf mcm Posted 17 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 17 October , 2014 Martin, The VAD's were asked to fill in these cards, in April 1919. They are in their own handwriting, and it looks from the cards you have that they are for 2 different people. Regards, Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 17 October , 2014 Share Posted 17 October , 2014 Martin, The VAD's were asked to fill in these cards, in April 1919. They are in their own handwriting, and it looks from the cards you have that they are for 2 different people. Regards, Allan Don't think so Allan, as the dates of her postings have only minor discrepancies. We in the family know of only one Dora Bennitt and the spelling is an unusual one. Both cards show service abroad but there is only one Mic for Dora Bennitt. I Just wondered what the difference was between enrolled and engaged. Signing on and completing training perhaps?Cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf mcm Posted 17 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 17 October , 2014 Martin, I've looked at the cards again, and they do appear to be for the same person. It was the way that 'Bennitt' was written differently on the fronts of the cards which threw me out. Quite a few VAD's had 2 cards, some had more. I don't know why. I think date of enrollment is when she 'signed up' to be a V.A.D. Date of engagement would be when she was accepted for active service. This would have given her a few months for training. Regards, Alf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 17 October , 2014 Share Posted 17 October , 2014 Although I've seen a number of cards in the past, this is the first time I've been able to look through a lot of them. I don't think that they were all written by the member themselves, as some are typed, and some refer to the person named in the third person, e.g. 'this member resigned due to ill-health which prevented her ... ' etc. In the second of the cards that Martin has posted (the white one) the distinctive handwriting appears on a range of other cards as well. Martin - Although it will take me some time to look at the cards in detail, I think that in the case of Dora Bennitt the discrepancy is something to do with her firstly becoming a VAD under the BRCS, and then six months later becoming a 'Nursing Member Military Hospitals' which means at that point she signed a contract with the War Office to work in military hospitals under WO control at home or abroad. During the first six months she was working at 'Salford Military Hospital, Manchester' but in fact that was an auxiliary hospital under BRCS control and not a WO military hospital. So it would have been a probationary period and one of training. But I think the ability to view a great many of these cards will be a real learning process and will need more examples to make any conclusions. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 17 October , 2014 Share Posted 17 October , 2014 Thank you very much for your help Allan and Sue. The cards also assist in answering one or two questions about Dora and her husband, e.g. the connection with Partridge Green, where he is named on three memorials without us knowing why. We now know for certain that she at least lived there at some time. What does "one scarlet stripe" as an award signify? Cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 17 October , 2014 Share Posted 17 October , 2014 What does "one scarlet stripe" as an award signify? One or two scarlet stripes could be awarded to VADs in hospitals under War Office control who had shown 'efficiency' in their work. This page explains in full detail about the various sort of VAD stripes - scroll about half-way down to the paragraph which starts 'From May 1916.' The Fairest Force - The VAD Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 17 October , 2014 Share Posted 17 October , 2014 Thanks Sue. It would seem from that page that she would also normally be entitled to a second stripe. But I'm going a bit off topic here with an individual case. I may make Dora the subject of a separate thread. Cheers Martin Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 17 October , 2014 Share Posted 17 October , 2014 I have really been looking forward to this release but it has been quite frustrating, especially with the limited release, and because I cannot find two people I have been researching! David Laidlaw Auchinvole who served with the British Red Cross Society as a Chauffeur in France from 6th October, 1915 to 24th May, 1916. (Later served in the RGA) - No TraceSarah Beattie, originally served at the Church Missionary Society’s General and Leper Hospital, Pakhoi, South China, served with the BRCS from December, 1915 at the British Red Cross Hospital, Portskewett, Chepstow. (Later joined the TFNS) - No TraceAm I missing something??? Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseFields Posted 18 October , 2014 Share Posted 18 October , 2014 Alf, Many thanks for the alert on this new BRCS link. It's great news. This collection is also helpful in searching for trained nurses' records. Numerous service cards from the official wartime Red Cross register of trained nurses can be found here online. For example, I just entered "sister" in the search term for "role" and got around 200 hits, remarkable given that we're only just getting into the alphabet C's. I also had pretty good luck with specific name searches for trained nurses serving in France. Marjorie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf mcm Posted 18 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 18 October , 2014 Sepoy, The record cards which are online are a result of a request by the British Red Cross for service records, via their journal. I am not sure if the request was made to individuals or Detachments. The result is that not everyone replied, and there are gaps.It seems also that this request was not made by the Scottish Branch. Records for Scottish members seem to include only those who served outwith Scotland at some point. Regards, Alf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog Posted 14 August , 2018 Share Posted 14 August , 2018 (edited) I am having trouble with this site. Every surname I enter, no one could be found , that includes Smith and Jones. Is this site down? Edited 14 August , 2018 by dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 14 August , 2018 Admin Share Posted 14 August , 2018 6 minutes ago, dog said: I am having trouble with this site. Every surname I enter, no one could be found , that includes Smith and Jones. Is this site down? Apparently down for maintenance https://www.redcross.org.uk/search-results?q=vad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIFFO Posted 14 August , 2018 Share Posted 14 August , 2018 Being a bit thick like, are these the red cross records Peter Barton "found"in Switzerland?. Does this mean that I MAY be able to find what injuries a chap had ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 14 August , 2018 Admin Share Posted 14 August , 2018 8 minutes ago, BIFFO said: Being a bit thick like, are these the red cross records Peter Barton "found"in Switzerland?. Does this mean that I MAY be able to find what injuries a chap had ? No these are the records of the VADs that served. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIFFO Posted 14 August , 2018 Share Posted 14 August , 2018 AH TOLD YOU I WOS A BIT THICK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 15 August , 2018 Share Posted 15 August , 2018 10 hours ago, DavidOwen said: No these are the records of the VADs that served. They cover more than just VAD as I have found quite a few TFNS & QAIMNS on this site. It is a great pity that it has been down so long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyhistoryman Posted 15 August , 2018 Share Posted 15 August , 2018 Does anyone know when the Red Cross will have the VAD records back online? Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Underdown Posted 16 August , 2018 Share Posted 16 August , 2018 Someone on Facebook had asked them and it should be in the next week or so I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 29 August , 2018 Admin Share Posted 29 August , 2018 Seems to be working now at least through the auxiliary hospital link https://vad.redcross.org.uk/Auxiliary-Hospitals https://vad.redcross.org.uk/Search?hosp=Gilroes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 29 August , 2018 Share Posted 29 August , 2018 That's great. Thanks for heads up. charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johneowens Posted 9 September , 2018 Share Posted 9 September , 2018 Just discovered that my great aunt, Kezia Esther McConville (nee Allen) was a VAD in WW1, and have found her VAD cards on the Red Cross site, and also her medal index card. Could someone please help me with the acronyms? - VAD card 1 Using her maiden name: Date of engagement: Engaged 2 March 1916; Rank=N.S. = nurse? Date of termination: 10 Mar 1917; Rank=N.S. = nurse? Previous Engagements under Jt War Committee ... Dept for References: Liverpool: Hcs: Period of service 2 Mar 1916 - 10 Mar 1917 (when she was heavily pregnant); Commission or Dept for references = France - VAD card 2 Using her married name Date of engagement: Engaged 14 July 1915 (possibly an error, 14 May 1917 instead); Rank T.N. = trained nurse? Date of termination: 31 Dec 1917; Rank= nothing typed Previous Engagements under Jt War Committee ... Dept for References: T.N. Dept. Period of service: 14 July 1915 (possibly an error, 14 May 1917 instead), after her son was born) - 31 Dec 1917. ; Commission or Dept for references = T.N. Dept Medal card Corps = BRC & ST JJ= British Red Cross and St John's Ambulance? Victory Medal - Roll= BRX/101B/page 9 British - same Any help would be much appreciated. In anticipation, many thanks and best wishes John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 9 September , 2018 Share Posted 9 September , 2018 (edited) 3 hours ago, johneowens said: Just discovered that my great aunt, Kezia Esther McConville (nee Allen) was a VAD in WW1, and have found her VAD cards on the Red Cross site, and also her medal index card. Could someone please help me with the acronyms? - VAD card 1 Using her maiden name: Date of engagement: Engaged 2 March 1916; Rank=N.S. = nurse? Nursing Sister ??? Date of termination: 10 Mar 1917; Rank=N.S. = nurse? Previous Engagements under Jt War Committee ... Dept for References: Liverpool: Hcs: Period of service 2 Mar 1916 - 10 Mar 1917 (when she was heavily pregnant); Commission or Dept for references = France - VAD card 2 Using her married name Date of engagement: Engaged 14 July 1915 (possibly an error, 14 May 1917 instead); Rank T.N. = trained nurse? Correct ???/ Date of termination: 31 Dec 1917; Rank= nothing typed Previous Engagements under Jt War Committee ... Dept for References: T.N. Dept. Trained Nursed Department ???? Period of service: 14 July 1915 (possibly an error, 14 May 1917 instead), after her son was born) - 31 Dec 1917. ; Commission or Dept for references = T.N. Dept Medal card Corps = BRC & ST JJ= British Red Cross and St John's Ambulance? Correct Victory Medal - Roll= BRX/101B/page 9 British Red Cross British - same Any help would be much appreciated. In anticipation, many thanks and best wishes John Hi John Found this http://rcnarchive.rcn.org.uk/data/VOLUME058-1917/page435-volume58-23rdjune1917.pdf Edited 9 September , 2018 by ForeignGong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 9 September , 2018 Share Posted 9 September , 2018 Dear All, I have a Pair and Belgian Decoration Civique group to Cecil Leonard Harland, BRC & St. JJ. His Medal Index Card exists, but a Red Cross card or some-such would be grandious to have...! Indeed any further information known to an eagle-eyed Great War Forum member would be welcome and a Goodie sent to same, forthwith. Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now