Are these girls VAD nurses?

[FROGSMILE]

53 minutes ago, Terry37 said:

New to the forum but collect QA, VAD and FANY insignia, badges and patches. From studying the pictures of the two girls in their dark blue VAD uniforms I believe they are BRCS (British Red Cross Society) VADs. If you look closely you can see a red cross in their cap badge, and the pendant badge on their chest looks ot be the BRCS pin rather than the SJA one. Both the BRCS and the SJA provided girls as VADs. The uniform and insignia they wore depended upon where they receive their training and the unit they enlisted under. BRCS VAD ward dress was a light blue dress, with a white apron having a large red cross on the front. The SJA VAD ward dress was a gray dress with a plain white apron. Originally they wore a head covering like the nurse with the black covering, but this was soon changed ot the tied handkerchief style because it was felt too confusing between a VAD and a QA.

 

A comment on training - if a BRCS VAD took her training from the SJA but enlisted under the BRCS she might wear the SJA medal cross from her waist belt.

 

Terry

 

BRCS VAD Cap

 

BRCS VAD Ambulance Driver

 

BRCS Nurse with handkerchief head covering

 

SJA Nurses with pre-handkerchief head covering

 

Part of my VAD Collection

 

Part of my QA collection

 

Sorry Terry, at first I misunderstood you.  I agree that the photos that opened this thread of two young ladies in dark uniform, are indeed from the BRC, but undergoing ‘general duties’ (as explained by HeadGardener) rather than nursing.

Edited 2 January , 2021 by FROGSMILE

[Gardenerbill]

Hi @Terry37 welcome to the forum, great pictures and badges  thank you for posting them.