THE RED CROSS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 2, 2 July 1940, Page 9

THE RED CROSS

FLAG DAY AT HOME

NEW ZEALAND GIFT

HEAVY LOSSES TO MAKE UP

(By Air Mail—From "The Post's" London Representative.) LONDON, June 7. Organisers of the National Flag Day appeal on behalf of the Lord Mayor's Red Cross and Order of St. John Fund for the sick and wounded in che war are gratified at the generous response. It is too soon for the total amount received to be known, for. in the provinces collecting days are still going on, but in the City of London the response was described as unprecedented. This generosity was attributed largely to the fact that the public realised how large an amount of hospital material and ambulances must have been lost in the recent fighting and will have to be replaced. More money, too, will be needed for food parcels i for prisoners of war. The first flag sold in London was bought by the Canadian Red Cross for £25,000. The money was taken by Colonel George Nasmitn, the Deputy Commissioner of the Canadian Red Cross, and Mr. R. B. Bennett, former Prime Minister of Canada, to the British Red Cross Society's headquarters. In the streets there were some 75,000 sellers. Ex-servicemen helped to pack the flags. On the previous afternoon the Queen spent half an hour at the chief centre —the Mansion House —talking to organisers. Lord Luke, chairman of the flag day committee, showed the Queen a cable message from New Zealand remitting £10,000, and offering the good wishes of the Dominion for the success of the fund. YEAR OF INTENSIVE EFFORT. The British Red Cross Society, in its annual report, states that the year 1939 was one of intensive effort and of expansion to the full compass of Red Cross activity. The increase in personnel marked in the previous year was greatly accelerated. Sir Arthur Stanley, chairman of the executive committee, records with gratitude and satisfaction that the outbreak of war found the detachments of the British Red Cross in a high state of efficiency, and mobilisation was effected in 48 hours. He expresses warm appreciation of the loyalty and discipline with which the members of the society, organised according to a scheme long approved by the V.A.D. Council and the War Office, accepted changes that appeared to affect their status and obligations to the medical services of the armed forces of the Crown and, realising the changed conditions of modern warfare, responded to the call to co-operate with local authorities for the benefit of the civilian population. The Duke of Gloucester's appeal for funds had been responded to in a measure that few, in view of the difficulties of the times, would have thought possible, but continuous and sustained effort was needed if the Red Cross was to meet the calls which a prolonged war must make upon it. The total strength of V.A. and BriI tish Red Cross Detachments in the year ended October 31 last was 67,426