Red Cross Nurse

[Desert Rat]

Can someone identity period (WW I)?

Can someone identity the patch she is wearing beneath the "2" on her sleeve and perhaps post a scan of an original patch?

[Home Guard]

DR, From what I can see I think she is a WW2 Red Cross Lady. My references show the crown on the WW1 felt hat to be more rounded on the topedge of the crown but still with a flat top. We can't really see the crown well, so just a guess. Wish we could see the ribbon on her right chest as they would be helpful.

I cannot tell much about the patch under the 2, but seems to read. "Red Cross /South Australia ..." can't make out the last word. If she were a VAD I would expect to see some insignia for that, but a good number of Red Cross ladies were VADs, so I wouldn't rule it out. Her cap badge also might very well be one of the Australian VAD cap badges.

She seems to be wearing a light weight khaki uniform, so would also guess she is serving in the middle east or in the Pacific theater.

Best I can do from what I can see. Sorry so much is guess work.

Terry

[Milmed]

Australian VAD WWII

Patch reads: 'Australian Red Cross Society' over 'South Australian Division'

Dress I believe is a light grey colour as worn in Australia

[kingsley]

She is definitely not VAD. She is wearing the wartime Red Cross official Accredited Organisation hat badge. The sleeve insignia obviously was different for each state. There were also curved red on white titles of wiich I have only seen one, the "Red Cross Service Corps". You should find more of these illustrated on an earlier Forum thread.

[mike_vee]

Volunteer Service Detachment .

Volunteer Service Detachment members taking the oath of allegiance, 29 June 1940.

Photo from State Library South Australia

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[mike_vee]

Comparison with V.A.D.s

Unlike the Voluntary Aid Detachments, members of the VSD were not required to undergo annual examinations once they had attended the prescribed series of lectures and practical classes, could not be required to leave their home town, and were not required to be competent truck and ambulance drivers. Another difference was that VADs would be subject to military control as from the commencement of war.

Approved 10th December 1938 - On March 13th 1942 name changed to "Red Cross Detachments" and that individual members of detachments should be known as "Red Cross Aids."


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[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Desert Rat

Can someone identity the patch she is wearing beneath the "2" on her sleeve and perhaps post a scan of an original patch?

Photo from AWM website.


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[Desert Rat]

Thank you gentlemen! Your knowledge and help is much appreciated.

[mike_vee]

A bit more information from a newspaper article (23rd March 1939) :

COMPOSITION OF GROUPS—Each group to consist of 12 or more members, as far as possible in the following age groups: from 18 to 43, and over 40. The group to be known as a volunteer Service Detachment (V.S.D.)
Officers to be elected are—Officer in charge, second officer in charge, quartermaster (members of detachments); medical officer, nursing sister (attached officers); pharmacist (if female may be member, otherwise attached); section leaders—In detachments, with 2 or more sections—At least 1 and not more than 4 sections of 12 members each (including section leaders).

I was curious about the number 2 on the uniform , it could be the detachment number (but there were over 100 detachments) or possibly/probably to indicate the 2IC (second officer in charge). Volunteers had to pay an 'annual subscription' of 2/- (two shillings) and had to buy their own badges !

BADGES—Distinctive membership badges are available on enrolment.—price 6d.(six pence)


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