CAMBRIDGE RED CROSS

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21601, 11 December 1941, Page 9

CAMBRIDGE RED CROSS

ANNUAL INSPECTION VOLUNTARY AID DETACHMENT On Saturday afternoon the Cam- 1 bridge Voluntary Aid Detachment j was inspected by the Waikato Centre | Commandant, Mrs R. S. Graham, of ! . Hamilton. In conjunction with the inspection ceremony the Voluntary Aids took part in a comprehensive demonstration, putting into practice much of j the training and knowledge acquired as members of the detachment. The ‘ proceedings were carried out at the i residence of the Red Cross president. Mrs H. C. Tod, whose home was put at the disposal of the Voluntary Aids for conversion into a hospital. Thirty Voluntary Aids, including! a unit of transport members, cooperated in the demonstration prior j to which the inspection ceremony j was carried out. A guard of honour, under the command of Head Section Deader, Miss I Dagner Jones, came smartly to attion as Mrs Graham, accompanied by the Cambridge Detachment Commandant, Miss Ethel Swayne, and the Assitant-Commandant, Miss Rhoda Brown, proceeded to the steps of the hospital to be met by the lady superintendent, Mrs H. A. Pegg, in the role of matron, and the Red Cross president, Mrs H. C. Tod. The detachment were immediately marched on to the lawn and formed up for inspection. Then followed the demonstration, when patients, to whom first aid had been rendered, w r ere transferred from a casualty clearing station (the V.A.D. hospital unit), to the hospital, a quarter of a mile distant. An ambulance in charge of the transport members transported about 20 patients in batches to be admitted to the hospital. Several Voluntary Aids undertook the kitchen management, a very important department of every hospital demanding as it does efficient and smooth running control.

After order had been restored in the hospital the Waikato Commandant addressed the Detachment mem-

bers, combining much appreciated advice with compliments on the drill, discipline and work. Mrs Graham appealed for continued enthusiasm on the part of the Voluntary Aids for whom calls for service would now obviously become more frequent with the further establishment of air base hospitals and military hospitals. Congratulations were offered to the Detachment for the honour of having one of its members, Miss J. T. Meredith, selected for service in the Middle East. Visitors from the Te Awamutu sub-centre included Mrs Graham Macky (Commandant), Mrs Downes (president), Mrs Neilson (treasurer), Mesdames Reekie and Dickie from Walton were also present.