V.A.D. nurse's Red Cross Armband

[high wood]

I bought this Red Cross armband at a recent antique fair and was very pleased with it, but thought that there was little that I could do to research the original owner.

[high wood]

How wrong was I. I have owned it for several weeks and was showing it to a friend yesterday. It was only then that I noticed the small pocket sewn onto the back of the armband.

And in the pocket was the corresponding certificate.

[charlie962]

Here she is on RedCross VAD site

[alf mcm]

This website may be of interest:-  https://www.surreyinthegreatwar.org.uk/story/waverley-abbey-hospital/

 

Regards,

 

Alf McM

[charlie962]

Her correct name is Margaret Theresa Mort Atkinson-Willes 1894-1984. You will find a tree for her on Ancestry

Edited 9 October , 2018 by charlie962

[charlie962]

The frustrating thing is that the armband number does not appear on the VAD card so cannot be used as a means of tracing anyone else

 

. Excellent find. I have my grandmother's armband (but not the paperwork) from 1918 and will see if it has an individual number. Edit-or even a hidden pocket?

 

Charlie

Edited 9 October , 2018 by charlie962

[high wood]

I had found the VAD card yesterday but it is very difficult to read the handwriting. The transcription wrongly states 110 Sussex rather than 110 Surrey. The spelling of Waverley Abbey Hospital appears to have the letters in the wrong order.

What I haven't yet worked out yet is that the card indicates home service only, so why was she issued with a Red Cross armband if she was not in the face of the enemy?

 

 

 

[Terry_Reeves]

Highwood

 

The VADs of the British Red Cross wore the insignia as a matter of course. The VADs of the Order of St John wore a badge with the insignia of the order of St John. Non faced the enemy directly although some were killed in air raids.

 

Sue Light's article will help:

 

http://www.scarletfinders.co.uk/157.html

 

TR

 

 

[high wood]

3 hours ago, Terry_Reeves said:

Highwood

 

The VADs of the British Red Cross wore the insignia as a matter of course. The VADs of the Order of St John wore a badge with the insignia of the order of St John. Non faced the enemy directly although some were killed in air raids.

 

Sue Light's article will help:

 

http://www.scarletfinders.co.uk/157.html

 

TR

 

 

 

Terry,

 

I am sorry but I did not make myself clear. I understand that nurses wear Red Cross armbands or more specifically, arm bands with a red cross, when in uniform on the home front. What I do not understand is the need to have the official stamps on the armband and the accompanying certificate, as per Sec. 9, Para. 3 Field Service Regulations, Part II, if the nurse is not employed in a war zone.

 

Simon

[Andrew Upton]

They wore the armlet even in the UK because it was essentially a requirement of the 1906 Geneva Convention:

 

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/141738-ramc-personnel-at-liberty-to-bear-arms/?tab=comments#comment-1354707

Chapter III, Article 9 of the 1906 geneva Convention would suggest so:

 

"CHAPTER III.--PERSONNEL.

 

Article 9.

 

The personnel engaged exclusively in the collection, transport, and treatment of the wounded and the sick, as well as in the administration of medical units and establishments, and the Chaplains attached to armies, shall be respected and protected under all circumstances. If they fall into the hands of the enemy they shall not be treated as prisoners of war.

 

These provisions apply to the Guard of medical units and establishments under the circumstances indicated in Article 8 (2)."

 

HOWEVER, in Chapter VI it is made clear that personnel covered by the Convention must wear the red cross on a white background to show they are protected:

 

"CHAPTER VI.-THE DISTINCTIVE EMBLEM.

 

Article 18.

 

As a compliment to Switzerland, the heraldic emblem of the red cross on a white ground, formed by reversing the Federal colours. is retained as the emblem and distinctive sign of the medical service of armies.

 

With the permission of the competent military authority this emblem shall be shown on the flags and armlets (brassards) as well as on all the material belonging to the medical service.

 

Article 20.

 

The personnel protected in pursuance of Articles 9 (paragraph 1), 10, and 11 shall wear, fixed to the left arm, an armlet (brassard) with a red cross on a white ground, delivered and stamped by the competent military authority, and accompanied by a certificate of identity in the case of persons who are attached to the medical service of armies, but who have not a military uniform."

[high wood]

Andrew,

 

thank you for taking trouble to answer my query with the relevant articles of the Geneva convention. I fully understand that full compliance was necessary in a war zone but the telling point in my confusion for a nurse serving on the home front is the phrase, "If they fall into the hands of the enemy". By all means wear a white armband with a red cross in a war hospital to denote that you are a nurse but, to my mind, a stamped and certificated armband, whilst essential and a legal requirement in a combat zone, is adhering too rigidly to the rules of the convention whilst based in a Surrey hospital. I can understand the need if the nurse was about to be sent to the Western front or if the enemy were at the gates. I doubt that a single nurse serving on the home front was ever asked to produce her certificate to authenticate her use of he armband,

 

Simon.

[Andrew Upton]

7 hours ago, high wood said:

thank you for taking trouble to answer my query with the relevant articles of the Geneva convention. I fully understand that full compliance was necessary in a war zone but the telling point in my confusion for a nurse serving on the home front is the phrase, "If they fall into the hands of the enemy".

 

It is the phrase "shall be respected and protected under all circumstances" I believe is the key here. That includes seemingly safe UK service. Also remember that by the time this particular armlet was issued as touched on by Terry above Britain had already been subjected to naval and aerial attacks. The relevant personnel were at all times to be respected and protected, so must therefore wear the armband at all times to show that fact.

[Male VAD]

Firstly what a great find and I am not at all jealous !!

Secondly to say that "Red Cross Nurses wore the Arm band as a matter of course"  Our research shows this  goes against the pictorial evidence ,We have around 500 images of Red Cross Female VAD nurses and personel from around 1910 to 1919 (always after more) and around 50 of male Red Cross Orderlies (definatly need more) . I had a quick look last night and around only 20% of Female personel are wearing armbands . It is much more common seeen with men where it is either Armband or Crest on chest pocket . Around 60% armband 40% crest .

It seems that all Red Cross personel were issued an armband whether serving in the UK or abroad and St John only if they were serving abroad ????

A certificate was required by the then geneva convention . In the 1916 war act it became illegal to wear a protected uniform of which those of the Red Cross and St John were included and a cerificate was required to be carried at all times when wearing such a uniform.

 

 

 

 

Edited 26 October , 2018 by Male VAD
poor spelling

[Polly.Glott]

Granny's diaries describe her receiving her Red Cross brassards while she was still in Exeter, before her deployment to Malta in early 1916. I have an absolute treasure trove of photographs of hospital personnel at the Valletta St John's Hospital, together with wonderful images of nurses and wounded men at work and play. Really should be in a museum, I guess. I have her apron, too, and the MC ribbon of one of her admirers, a Captain Strachan. 

[monkstown]

Sounds fantastic!

[Acknown]

On 26/10/2018 at 12:13, Male VAD said:

We have around 500 images of Red Cross Female VAD nurses and personel from around 1910 to 1919 (always after more)

From my private collection, here's one of Bedford 40, the Aspley Guise detachment, certainly pre-war. The detachment had just won a county-wide competition shortly after its inauguration, beating the two established VADs and winning a cup. 

Do you collect VAD stuff? If so, I'd be delighted to email you a high vis copy. If you're interested, please PM me.

Acknown

Edited 12 July , 2022 by Acknown

[Male VAD]

Nice picture ,

It is after Jan 1914 as the badges many are wearing only came in after that date .

I have PM you

Cheers

Male VAD