Randal and I were going through some of
his grandmother's, Kate Martin, memorabilia and came across Canadian
Red Cross War Work books.
The one most interesting was a 1916
Directions For War Work. Others were from 1940 and 1941.
The 1916 booklet gave a picture of how
the Canadian Red Cross Society worked with the Canadian
War Contingent Association. These two organizations worked hand and
hand to make and distribute the supplies needed for the soldiers in
battle.
What
was most interesting was that money donation cheques were made payable
to a Mrs. George T. Brown, the Treasurer,
and sent her at Hyman Hall, London Ont. The Canadian War Contingent
Association donation cheques
for “Special Comfort Fund” were made
payable to a Mrs. H.E. Gates, the Treasurer
and sent directly to her
at Hyman Hall, London Ont.
Canadian
women with expert skills in sewing and knitting were called upon to make thousands of articles. Material was hard to come be and was not to be
wasted. The knitting and sewing instruction had to be followed as
given by the Red Cross and had to be followed in detail.
Knitted
articles were: day socks, bed socks, knee caps, heelless hospital
sock and soldier's caps.
Articles used while soldiers were in the trenches were: well sewn day shirts, khaki handkerchiefs, small
towels . The knitted goods were: socks, scarves, balaclava caps and fingerless
mittens.
Hospital
Supplies were: pillows, pillowslips, sheets, towels, washcloths, bed
jackets, dressing gowns, pyjamas, surgical night shirts, day shirts,
hospital suits, kit-bags and 'hold-alls'.
Surgical Supplies were to be only made under the direct supervision
of a doctor or a trained nurse. The directions and sizes should be
carefully followed. The right kind of hospital gauze was only
obtained from Toronto (36 inches wide #2.00 per 200 yards). All
surgical pads were made with the non-absorbent, as well as the
absorbent cotton.
The “Special Comfort Fund” was spent on toilet articles-such as
towels, soap, tooth brushes, tooth powder, insect powder, sponges,
etc. Food: such as hard candy, chocolate, plum cakes, dried fruit,s
chewing gum, etc; other things such as smoking materials, games,
writing materials, scrape books, or budgets of 'News from Home'.
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| Fred and Kate Martin 1923 |
Fredrick Randal Martin dressed in his grandmother Martin's knitted outfit. Isn't he cute?
