CERTIFICATE HOLDERS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21194, 17 August 1940, Page 17 (Supplement)

CERTIFICATE HOLDERS

VOLUNTARY AID DETACHMENT WAIKATO ORGANISATION Steps to form a voluntary aid detachment from Red Cross certificate holders in Hamilton were taken at a meeting of the Red Cross Society when Mr F. W. Course, president of thr Hamilton sub-centre, presided. Mr Course explained that the detachment would be used as a basis and a model for other detachments throughout the Waikato, and the president of the Waikato centre, Mr A. E. Gibbons, outlined the general organisation iof voluntary aid dietachments. After outlining the control and command of the V.A.D. movement, Mr Gibbons compared the organisation in tl>e Waikato to an army battalion organisation, with the detachments being parallels to companies in a battalion. The speaker announced the controlling staff of the Waikato organisation as follows: Director of voluntary aid detachment services, Miss D. Menzies (matron of the Waikato Hospital); assistant director, Mrs R. S. A. Graham; medical officer, Dr. W. R. Fea; lady superintendent, Sister H. J. S. Johnson; quartermaster, Sister Hooker; honorary secretary, Miss I. Pearce. Movement Explained Mr Gibbons explained that detachment commandants would be fully qualified sisters. The position of assistant detachment commandant would be open to those in the V.A.D. movement, but the detachment itself would be broken, into four sections, each containing 12 or 16 memmers with a section leader. All appointments to positions would be probationary from section leaders upwards, as it was laid down that no one could be confirmed in any rank until a Red Cross medallion was held. The speaker explained that a movement was on loot for decentralised command and de-central-ised area protection. The various sub-centres of the Waikato were

building up small stocks for local hospital emergency requirements and it was hoped that in a very short time voluntary aid detachments would be thoroughly organised throughout the whole of the Waikato area under the direction of Miss Menzies and her staff. Miss Menzies addressed the meeting and referred to the probable need for V.A.D.’s in the Waikato and later at Hopu Hopu. When the men returned they would be drafted to civilian hospitals, she said, and it was necessary at the present time to organise in order to be ready for whatever emergency might arise. Dr. Fea stated that plans were well advanced for the establishment of a trailer hospital to be staffed largely by V.A.D.’s. This would probably be followed later by three more trailers. It was decided to hold a further meeting on August 21 at the Red Cross Depot, when the organisation of the first detachment would be proceeded with.