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| VOLUNTARY AID DETACHMENTS | ||||||
Voluntary Aid Detachments (VAD) were made up of British Red Cross and St. John Ambulance members. They provided trained people to act as reserves to the medical services of the Armed Forces, doing valuable work abroad and at home. As well as VADs, many St. John Ambulance and British Red Cross members joined the Civil Nursing Reserve, where they served in hospitals at home, nursing civilian victims of air raids and wounded Service men and women returning from fighting the German army in France or Belgium.
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ANNIE
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KATHLEEN
HOWARD Nottingham , BRC, VAD Routine but vital Kathleen Howard was in a reserved occupation in Nottingham. She worked full-time at Boots but managed to volunteer as an Immobile VAD at the local hospital. Kathleen's duties uncluded polishing floors, giving ‘blanket baths', and emptying bedpans. It was routine work perhaps, but vital to the war effort. more... |
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MILDRED BRETT Oxfordshire/Southampton, SJA, VAD A born nurse finds her way Mildred Brett grew up hungry. But at 17 her luck changed. She joined St. John Ambulance, excelled in the hospital operating theatres, and nursed soldiers back to health. After the war Mildred went on to become a State Registered Nurse and received an MBE; she'd found her way. more... |
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NORMA HANSON Huddersfield, BRC, VAD A young nurse finds adventure Norma Hanson wanted to help out and go places. As a young naval VAD, she boarded a train bound for Plymouth. From there she transferred on to Portsmouth, Liverpool, and then overseas. Throughout Norma nursed patients, made friends, met her husband, and found adventure far from home. more... |
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JOAN HOLGATE Staffordshire, BRC, VAD Family ties bind Joan Holgate’s father tried to protect her from the war. When she joined the British Red Cross and was posted to Staffordshire, they had to say goodbye. Transferred to Portsmouth, she moved farther away from home. But family ties bind, and in tragedy Joan and her father found solace in each other. more... |
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JUDY STOKES Hampshire, BRC, VAD Pioneering plastic surgery Judy Stokes found herself scrubbing up alongside the pioneers of plastic surgery. Hampshire received thousands of soldiers burned by the fires of war. VAD nurses treated skin grafts—and healed broken hearts. Nurses like Judy reassured the country that loyal compassion could heal the scars of war. more... |
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Facts
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| If you would like to find out more about how to help St. John Ambulance or the British Red Cross, please visit our websites at www.sja.org.uk or www.redcross.org.uk | ||||||
