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War declared!

By Katrina Crew
September 4, 2009 at 2:07 pm

Seventy years ago yesterday, following Germany’s invasion of Poland, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declared war on Germany. 

Black and white photo of two women working on the engine of an ambulance

Soon after, the British Red Cross and the Order of St John joined together as the Joint War Organisation. Our two organisations had worked together to help war victims during the First World War, too.

In both wars, thousands of women and men signed up to be volunteers (or, as they were officially known, ‘voluntary aid detachments’ or VADs). One of the iconic images of the Red Cross historically is of women in white nurses uniforms with a big red cross on the bib; but not all our volunteers were nurses.

Black and white photo of a woman performsing first aid on a baby in a London underground station

They were ambulance drivers, first aiders, and administrators. During the Blitz, VADs in London staffed first aid posts in underground stations and other bomb shelters, helping 10,000 people a night. They showed films and organised games and concerts to ease evacuees’ boredom.

As well as opening convalescent homes and nursing wounded soldiers, more than a thousand welfare officers went to hospitals to write letters, go shopping for patients and arrange family visits.

Volunteers also cared for the many refugees who fled Europe, offering them the first sign of hope in a new country.

Black and white photo of a woman writing a letter for a wounded man

They packed more than 20 million food parcels to send to prisoners of war. They also sent medical comforts parcels with special food for people who had been wounded, spectacles and hearing aids. At least one man received artificial legs made just for him. Volunteers also packed books and sports equipment to keep prisoners of war occupied.

Fundraising was a huge part of the organisation. More than 200 charity shops were set up, as well as around 150 temporary shops. Volunteers raised a staggering £1,757,000 in shops and auctions during the war, equivalent to almost £48 million today.

Black and white photo of four dogs on chairs with collection buckets

Even dogs got in on the fundraising effort. These four beauties pictured here belonged to Mrs. M. M. M. Fowler, O.B.E, who collected money for the Red Cross and St. John during the war.

She’s quoted in one of our old magazines, saying: “They were doing very well until the air raids, and after that I did not like to take them out after dark. Brian, the largest sheep dog . . . has been annoyed when very occasionally some kind person has put paper money in his box, as he cannot hear the rattle of any coins!”

Check out a photo gallery of our Second World War volunteers.

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The Red Cross values comments both complimentary and critical. However, we will not tolerate the following: aggressive or personal criticism of the blogger, breach of copyright, obscene, defamatory, profane, sexually oriented, racially offensive or likewise objectionable comments.

This entry was posted on Friday, September 4th, 2009 at 2:07 pm and is filed under Emergencies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • http://www.stjohndublin.ie/ Oliver Alleb

    Very interesting comment.

    I’ve recently come upon a very old book which provides a historical account of the efforts of the St. John Ambulance Brigade and British Red cross in three provinces of Ireland from August 1914 to November 1918. It provides some very interesting reading and has some excellent photographs.

    I’d say its the only copy around. Have you ever come across any SJA/BRC Irish WW1 related books etc

  • http://www.stjohndublin.ie Oliver Alleb

    Very interesting comment.

    I’ve recently come upon a very old book which provides a historical account of the efforts of the St. John Ambulance Brigade and British Red cross in three provinces of Ireland from August 1914 to November 1918. It provides some very interesting reading and has some excellent photographs.

    I’d say its the only copy around. Have you ever come across any SJA/BRC Irish WW1 related books etc

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Katrina Crew

Katrina Crew

Katrina is the British Red Cross' web editor.

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