RED CROSS AND RETURNED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 154, 19 March 1918, Page 3

RED CROSS AND RETURNED SOLDIERS

In connection with the muddlement that occurred in Auckland last week in regard to . the. recently-returned transports, the hon. financial organiser in Auckland for the Eritish Red Cross andi Order of St. John (Mr. C, l'\ Bickford) was seen regarding the delay in landing the soldiers (states "the "Star"), lie said: "I was glad to note tho actjion taken by the Mayor (Mr. J. H; : Gimson) last' night, and as a member of the Bed Cross 1 strongly endorse his remarks re the urgent necessity for reform in regard to the handling of our sick and wounded, This is a matter 1 have advocated in the past, and shall continue to do in tho future. In a war of this magnitude Great Britain, France, America, and Australia have realised this is a department that requires commercial men to co-operate witli the military, and i may point out that the Bed Cross organisation has that body of mou amongst its members. I wrote to lied Cross officers in other countries to get complete statements as to the methods adopted. I find that the Red Crosa takes charge of the men from the ship's side. In tho ease of men having to be sent away by trains, sleepers are provided for all, and in the matter of cot cases Red Cross ambulance carriages are _ provided. Should sleepers not bo available, the men are sent to a home like ours at Epsom, and kept until such accommodation is available. The Red Cross and the Order of St. John provide a- staff of men and women whose duty it is to-.accompany the soldiers. A full equipment is sent on each train. Portable stoves are provided, so as to give tho men beef tea, bovril, etc., for cases who are on- diet, instead of having to scramble out of the train and eat over-cool<ed chops, sausages, etc. Bandages are attended to the same as on the hospital ships. Rations on j a fixed scale are also provided during the journey. The nurses commence their work as soon as the train leaves_ tlie station. Slippers, cushions, and blankets are served out. Sweets, tobacco, cigarettes, etc., are provided during the journey, and arrangements made for the Red Cross country branch workers to meet ihe trains at various stations cn route with fresh supplies of fruit, milk, and other comforts for tho men.

"As hon. financial organiser, 1 may state that when visiting the country districts I am often met with the statement: 'Bring our boys home in iv manner worthy of their great work, and we will give to the funds of your organisation.' Now, I must admit that we are not doing what they ask. It is different in other countries For instance, I have been furnished with a copy of the menu provided by the Vicoc'rhn Red Cross Department. Why, it makes one's mouth water to read it! Tlie Defence Department jiay Is. per man for each meal provided in transit, or 3s. per day when they spend more than 24 hours in the home. I was olosely connected with the Victorian Red Cross Depot, which had the handling and meeting of all hospital ships and trains, eo can vouch for thio information. Perhaps l am laying myself open for criticism., but I am only echoing the sentiments of thousands of the contributors to the Bed Cross, who have either boys of their .own or some dear relative fighting at the front. We make a fuss of the men when they leave —which is quite natural and right—but I think the 'best is not good enough' when they return."

As the train conveying the body of the late Irish Nationalist leader. Mr. John Redmond, passed from Kingstown to Wexford it stopped at the chief railway stations, where thousands of mourners were assembled, and Benedictine nuns from Ypres, who are taking refuge during the war in a convent near Macmine (Wexford) through Mr. Redmond's exertions, knelt in the fields reciting the rosary as the train passed. The coffin was covered with the Irish flag used at the funeral of the late Mr. Parnell.

Recently tho United States War Department sanctioned the use of a special flag', which might be fiown by private citizens to indicate that members of their family wore on active service. The number of such members is indicated by the number of stars in the flag. The idea has been extended to jewellery, and every second woman in the United States is now wearing the flag in the form of a small enamel "service pin."

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