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- Voluntary Aid Detachment during the Great War -


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Voluntary Aid Detachment



   An Extract from Red Cross Description of VAD services.

What was a VAD, exactly?

In 1909 the War Office issued the Scheme for the Organisation of Voluntary Aid. Under this scheme, the British Red Cross was given the role of providing supplementary aid to the Territorial Forces Medical Service in the event of war.

In order to provide trained personnel for this task, county branches of the Red Cross organised units called voluntary aid detachments. All voluntary aid detachment members (who themselves came to be known simply as 'VADs') were trained in first aid and nursing. Within twelve months of the scheme's launch, they numbered well over 6,000.

Membership grew still further on the outbreak of war in 1914. The British Red Cross and the Order of St John of Jerusalem, a body which was also empowered to raise detachments under the War Office Voluntary Aid Scheme, combined to form the Joint War Committee (JWC) to administer their wartime relief work with the greatest possible efficiency and economy, under the protection of the red cross emblem and name. This was such a successful working partnership that when the Second World War broke out in 1939, the British Red Cross and Order of St. John joined together again to form the Joint War Organisation (JWO).

What kind of work did VADs do?

The VADs working under both the JWC and the JWO performed a variety of duties. Both the Committee and the Organisation administered auxiliary hospitals and convalescent homes in Britain throughout the world wars and much of the VAD service was performed in these homes and hospitals. Volunteers performed general nursing duties and administered first aid.

Qualified nurses were also employed to work in these establishments, while many VADs gave their service in military hospitals. In addition, VADs performed clerical and kitchen duties. With many men engaged in military service, women VADs took on roles such as ambulance drivers, civil defence workers and welfare officers. VADs were also sent abroad during both world wars as the Committee and the Organisation operated overseas in countries such as France, Italy and Russia.

Red Cross


   Horncastle Voluntary Aid Detachment used the Drill Hall on the Wong as a Red Cross Hospital, with much of the equipment and furniture and being donated or lent by locals.

   On the 16th August 1909 the War Office issued a scheme for the Organisation of Voluntary Aid in England and Wales, which set up both male and female Voluntary Aid Detachments to compliment the Territorial medical services. In December 1909 a similar scheme was launched in Scotland. The VAD's were for home service, intended to staff auxiliary hospitals and rest stations should the need arise. Across the country detachments were formed and began training in first aid, basic nursing duties, cookery and hygiene. The male and some of the female detachments also trained in stretcher bearing, transportation and improvisation of caring for the wounded outdoors. There was no pay for any of the duties and the majority of the volunteers were those of the more affluent levels of society.

When war broke out in 1914 the VAD's were came under the administration of the Joint War Committee of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John, which was based at Devonshire House, Piccadilly, London. Their role had already been clearly defined and the units at once leapt into action, gathering donated linen, kitchen equipment and medical supplies, borrowing cars and setting up hospitals and rest centres in village halls and country houses.

16th Jan 1915 Rest Facilities

17th Jan 1915 Accomodation

18th Jan 1915 Influenza

21st Jan 1915 Cold Weather

23rd Jan 1915 Illness

24th Jan 1915 Correspondence

26th Jan 1915 Pay and Allowances

27th Jan 1915 Nurses Required

28th Jan 1915 Shelling

29th Jan 1915 Artillery Active

30th Jan 1915 Increase in Staff

31st Jan 1915 Influenza

4th Sep 1915 Something to Help

6th Sep 1915 Preparing for VAD Interview.

28th Sep 1915 Leaving Home

29th Sep 1915 First Duties

30th Sep 1915 Convoy Arrives

1st Oct 1915 Dressing Wounds

18th Oct 1915 A Trip Along the Coast

28th Oct 1915 A Grand View

1st Nov 1915 All Saints Day

2nd Nov 1915 Convoy Arrives

5th Nov 1915 Rumours of Move

6th Nov 1915 Preparation for Move

7th Nov 1915 On the Move

8th Nov 1915 Nothing Doing

9th Nov 1915 Tea at the Nurses' Club

10th Nov 1915 Nurses to Remain

11th Nov 1915 Off Duty

12th Nov 1915 Off Duty

13th Nov 1915 Off Duty

14th Nov 1915 Off Duty

15th Nov 1915 Off Duty

16th Nov 1915 Off Duty

18th Nov 1915 Off Duty

19th Nov 1915 Off Duty

20th Nov 1915 Off Duty

21st Nov 1915 Off Duty

25th Nov 1915 Transferred

26th Nov 1915 First Day On Duty

29th Nov 1915 First Day On Duty

1st Dec 1915 Ship Wreck Victims Treated

2nd Dec 1915 Cheery Letters

3rd Dec 1915 Hard on the Feet

5th Dec 1915 Unwell

6th Dec 1915 On Duty

16th Dec 1915 Suspected Scabies

17th Dec 1915 New Quarters

19th Dec 1915 Deadly Germs

20th Dec 1915 Convoy of Gas Cases

21st Dec 1915 Busy Day

22nd Dec 1915 Boats Blown up

24th Dec 1915 Concert at Hotel

25th Dec 1915 Busy Christmas Day

26th Dec 1915 Bad Cases

27th Dec 1915 Concert in Ward

29th Dec 1915 Panto at Convalescent Camp

29th Dec 1915 A Little Homesick

1st Jan 1916 Bad Cases

2nd Jan 1916 Miracle Patient

3rd Jan 1916 Miracle Patient

5th Jan 1916 Aircraft Brought Down

6th Jan 1916 Yesterday's Excitement

8th Jan 1916 Officials Drowned

10th Jan 1916 Fussy Eater

11th Jan 1916 Huge Explosion

12th Jan 1916 Interesting Case

1st Feb 1916 Orders re Letters

2nd Feb 1916 Problems

3rd Feb 1916 Leave

4th Feb 1916 Report

5th Feb 1916 Field Allowance

6th Feb 1916 Visit

7th Feb 1916 More Nurses Required

8th Feb 1916 Identity Discs

9th Feb 1916 Field Allowance

10th Feb 1916 Field Allowance

11th Feb 1916 Correspondence

12th Feb 1916 Correspondence

13th Feb 1916 Postings

14th Feb 1916 Postings

15th Feb 1916 Admissions

16th Feb 1916 Correspondence

17th Feb 1916 Correspondence

18th Feb 1916 Contracts Renewed

19th Feb 1916 Nurses Required

20th Feb 1916 Transfers

21st Feb 1916 Requests

22nd Feb 1916 Reinforcements

23rd Feb 1916 Renewals

24th Feb 1916 Visit

25th Feb 1916 Heavy Snow

25th Feb 1916 Rest Clubs

26th Feb 1916 Correspondence

28th Feb 1916 Correspondence

29th Feb 1916 Correspondence

10th Jul 1916 Would Like to Call

20th Jul 1916 Kept Busy

3rd Aug 1916 A Terrific Shock

13th Aug 1916 Another Accident

24th Sep 1916 Prisoners held in Church Hall

17th Jan 1917 Shadows

18th Jan 1918 Busy

20th Jan 1917 Mending

24th Jan 1917 Cold Weather

31st Jan 1917 Sights

2nd Feb 1917 Deaths

3rd Feb 1917 Treatments

4th Feb 1917 Sewing

10th Feb 1917 Snow

12th Feb 1917 Boxes

14th Feb 1917 Gifts

16th Feb 1917 Good Flying Weather

21st Feb 1917 Reception

24th Feb 1917 Errands

27th Feb 1917 Errands

3rd Mar 1917 Return

5th Mar 1917 Operations

8th Mar 1917 Operations

15th Mar 1917 Entertainment

18th Mar 1917 Excitement

23rd Mar 1917 Departures

12th Apr 1917 

17th Apr 1917 Convoy

18th Apr 1917 Dinners

21st Apr 1917 Eggs

27th Apr 1917 Visit

28th Apr 1917 Gift Appreciated

3rd May 1917 Night Duty

6th May 1917 Singing

8th May 1917 In Bloom

10th May 1917 Entertainment

13th May 1917 Hard Work

14th May 1917 Awards

19th May 1917 Flowers

29th May 1917 Garden Party

2nd Jun1917 Fundraising

8th Jun1917 Night Duty

20th Jun 1917 Patients

6th Jul 1917 In the Garden

8th Jul 1917 Licorice Tea

27th Jul 1917 Bath Chairs

28th Jul 1917 Duty

14th Aug 1917 New Arrivals

18th Aug 1917 Busy

19th Aug 1917 Heavy Rain

24th Aug 1917 Kippers

12th Sep 1917 Conversations

20th Sep 1917 New Ward

26th Sep 1917 Convoy

27th Sep 1917 New Arrivals

4th Oct 1917 Rationing

7th Oct 1917 Night Duty

8th Oct 1917 Amusements

11th Oct 1917 Searchlights

13th Oct 1917 Transfer

17th Oct 1917 Convoy

25th Oct 1917 Potatoes

27th Oct 1917 Opening

15th Nov 1917 Convoy

16th Nov 1917 New Arrivals

18th Nov 1917 Church Service

24th Nov 1917 Procession

28th Nov 1917 Ambulance Train

3rd Dec 1917 Fire Drill

11th Dec 1917 Mixed Feelings

16th Dec 1917 Gifts

19th Dec 1917 Busy

24th Dec 1917 Decorations

26th Dec 1917 Festivities

28th Dec 1917 Gifts

2nd Jan 1918 Convoy

2nd Feb 1918 Thanks

27th May 1918 Bombed Hospitals

31st May 1918 War Wedding Romance

21st Jun 1919 Red Cross Services Acknowledged.

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.



Want to know more about Voluntary Aid Detachment?


There are:178 items tagged Voluntary Aid Detachment available in our Library

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Those known to have served with  Voluntary Aid Detachment during the Great War 1914-1918.

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Records of Voluntary Aid Detachment from other sources.

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Recomended Reading.

Available at discounted prices.



We That Were Young

Irene Rathbone


This fierce antiwar novel by Irene Rathbone (1892-1980) is told from the perspectives of a cultured former suffragist and several of her friends - young women who work at rest camps just behind the lines in France and as nurses of the severely wounded in hospitals in London. When Joan loses both her brother and lover to the war, she volunteers for work in a munitions plant - but by the end, she is a confirmed pacifist. This book is semi-autobiographical fiction based on Irene Rathbone's experiences as a volunteer worker during the Great War. It tells of life both as a VAD nurse and as a YMCA canteen worker in France, and includes a wealth of interesting detail not found elsewhere. Her story is one of loss and grief - both she and her friends lose many loved ones during the course of the war, but it's also a tale of strong family ties and lifelong friendships. It's longer than most of its genre, and although the language is rather stilted by today's standards, the story bowls along a
More information on:

We That Were Young


Britain's Civilian Volunteers: Authorized Story of British Voluntary Aid Detachment Work in the Great War

Thekla Bowser


This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.
Reminiscences of a V.A.D.

Grace Pulvertaft


Grace Pulvertaft was born in Dublin of Irish parents. She was educated in London and at the out break of the Great War, aged 20, became a nurse by joining the Voluntary Aid Detachment. Working in busy hospitals in London and Brighton throughout the war, she kept a diary recording her experiences along with contributions from patients and colleagues. The daily round has its lighter moments never far removed from the shadow of a terrible war. 100 years later, edited by her son John Brunsdon, Grace's diaries are presented in this beautiful hard back, full colour book.
More information on:

Reminiscences of a V.A.D.






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