Red Cross VAD Detachments Pre-WWI

[Postwarden]

I have seen a cloth badge attributed to the West Lancashire Territorial Force with VAD 58 embroidered on an arm band below the initials W.L.T.F.

Were Voluntary Aid Detachments numbered by County ie there were 57 other such detachments in the County - or were they the VADs of that County's 58th Red Cross unit?

Little out of my depth here so further help greatly appreciated.

Jon

[Home Guard]

Jon, I wish I could answer that for you, but have not seen anything in any of my references about the numbering system.

Terry

[Rob Miller]

Someone told me years ago the odd and even numbers signified all male or all female units, I can't remember which I was told was which?

Rob

[NEMO]

Originally Posted by Rob Miller

Someone told me years ago the odd and even numbers signified all male or all female units, I can't remember which I was told was which?

Rob

I heard that too , no doubt the ` odd` numbers were the female units .....

[Peter Brydon]

The odd and even numbers for male/female units is in Westlake Shoulder title book.

P.

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Postwarden

Were Voluntary Aid Detachments numbered by County ie there were 57 other such detachments in the County - or were they the VADs of that County's 58th Red Cross unit?

Old post from GWF based on Scottish VAD units :

Each Voluntary Aid Detachment {V.A.D.} had to be registered with the War Office. Once this happened they were allocated a number. This was an odd number for male detachments, and an even number for female detatchments. Each V.A.D. belonged to either a County or City, and were therefore known by the County or City name followed by their registration number. All male V.A.D.s in a County or City started from number 1, and all female V.A.D.s started from number 2. Therefore Linlithgowshire V.A.D. 2 and Dundee 4 were female detachments. Aberdeen 3 and Aberdeen 1 were male detachments.

.

[mike_vee]

Each V.A.D. belonged to either a County or City, and were therefore known by the County or City name followed by their registration number.

British Red Cross WW1

Region 1 – Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Isle of Man

Region 2 – Northern England

Region 3 – Southern England

Each region was subdivided into counties etc , Region 2 included :Lancs, Mersey, G. Manc.

These areas would also have numerous branches and each branch could have had at least one VAD.

https://vad.redcross.org.uk/~/media/...nch%20list.pdf

An article about Notts 94 Voluntary Aid Detachment Radcliffe on Trent :

http://www.radcliffeontrentww1.org.u...id-detachment/


.

[Home Guard]

Mike,

Those are two excellent sites you gave links to!!! Thank you,

Terry

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Home Guard

Mike,

Those are two excellent sites you gave links to!!! Thank you,

Terry

Here is a link to the GWF post showing the cities and numbers of all the Scottish VAD's .

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/...and-locations/

.

[Peter Brydon]

From Westlake.

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Postwarden

I have seen a cloth badge attributed to the West Lancashire Territorial Force with VAD 58 embroidered on an arm band below the initials W.L.T.F.

Most people assume that all VAD's were associated with the BRCS or SJAB but :

in some places, where the Territorial Force Association was a very alert body, Territorial V.A. Detachments already existed.

Although some Detachments existed previously they still had to register with the War Office and were then given their "detachment number".

Tower Hospital - West Lancashire V.A.D.44

In January 1914 , a branch of St.John's Ambulance Association was established at a public meeting in St.Helens.

Voluntary Aid Detachments 42 and 44 were formed in August 1914.

https://www.rainhillremembers.uk/tow...-hospital.html

The above site has a photo of a metal West Lancashire V.A.D 44 badge and a dealer site a photo of an enamelled 1923 West Lancashire V.A.D. brooch.

https://www.brittonsbadges.co.uk/en-...9#.YbCQx9_P01J


.

[Home Guard]

There are actually two versions of the West Lanc VAD pin. The one shown on Britton's site and an almost exact one that has "TF" instead of the numbers.

See top left and top right.



Terry

[Investment]

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Home Guard

There are actually two versions of the West Lanc VAD pin. The one shown on Britton's site and an almost exact one that has "TF" instead of the numbers.

Terry , I wonder if the badge with 1923 on it was a 'bitter sweet' souvenir for some VAD members ?

The "Nursing Registration Act 1919" was 'officially' enforced in 1923 and ;

the leaders of the nursing profession agreed that untrained VADs should not be allowed onto the newly established register of nurses.

.

[Home Guard]

Mike, I do not know. I had read somewhere that one was a recruiter's badge and the other worn by the members. Have no way of knowing for sure, and the 1923 could indeed be a memento pin. If I ever find anything for sure, I will share it.

Terry