PRIVILEGES OF V.A.D.’S

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23942, 8 May 1943, Page 4

PRIVILEGES OF V.A.D.’S

RED CROSS SOCIETY’S CONCERN

The concern of the Red Cross Society in New Zealand at the report that V.A.D.’s serving with the New Zealand forces had been enrolled as members of the Women’s War Service Auxiliary, or the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps, was expressed in a statement made by the Director-General New Zealand Red Cross V.A.D.’s (Mrs H. Iris Crooke). “The V.A.D.’s. who are trained in New Zealand by the two organisations of the Order of St. John, and the New Zealand Red Cross Society, should be enrolled under the New Zealand Army Nursing Service, of which they are an auxiliary, and should be uniformed, not in khaki, as are the W.A.A.C.’s. but in the Nursing Service uniforms.” said Mrs Crooke. “In spite of a written assurance from those in authority in the Middle East, that the khaki uniform and the ranking as privates in the Army in no way debar them from all the privileges enjoyed by the Army Nursing Service, we constantly have evidence from the V.A.D.’s thcmrelvcs that acute embarrassment is still experienced by them by being barred from the best clubs and hotels, and by having to obtain special permission to enter these places. “While it is true that New Zealand V.A.D.'s on overseas service are issued with a Red Cross brassard and a certificate of identity, the fact remains that on hospital ships, whereas the Australian V.A.D.’s and those of other countries wear the red cross as an integral part of their uniforms, on cap and overall, the New Zealand V.A.D. has no red cross on any part of her uniform.” said Mrs Crooke “We owe it to the V.AJD.’s and to their parents that these matters should be put right, and that the New Zealand V.A.D.’s should be an auxiliary of the Army Nursing Service, enjoying the privileges which that bring", and that on hospital ships they should have the full protection given by the outward and visible sign on their uniform of their insignia, the red cross, which is the only one recognised by the belligerent nation*.”