Early Red Cross War Work

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'.

Fred and Kate Martin  1923

Fredrick Randal Martin dressed in his grandmother Martin's knitted outfit. Isn't he cute?