The Australian Women's Register

[Red Cross Archives series reference: NO2] Comprises records of Australian Red Cross personnel who served as Voluntary Aid Detachments (VAD) or Field Force officers in Australia and overseas. The service cards are alphabetically sorted into groups Field Force Female A to D, Field Force Male J to M etc. They record the Army Number, Rank, Names & Addresses, places served and the period of service as well as dates that information was added to the card. Also includes a register controlling the index cards, a small collection of passport sized photographs of personnel, list of the first official Australian contingent of VAD’s to serve in England and France in 1916 as well as a Register of Certificates awarded to Field Force personnel (1946-1961). Formed in 1915, Voluntary Aid Detachments had basic medical and home nursing certificates and were tasked with administering first aid, nursing and domestic assistance and other support for returned and wounded soldiers in convalescent homes, hospital ships and in blood banks. In 1916, Australia Red Cross sent Voluntary Aid Detachments to serve in military hospitals in France and England under the British Red Cross, subsequently in 1918 the Australian Imperial Voluntary Aid Detachment (AIVAD) was formed. Upon their return from Europe VADs were tasked with assisting the temporary hospitals treating the influenza epidemic of 1919. http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE0491b.htm Red Cross Field Force officers were deployed during World War II with the Far East Land Forces (FARELF) and in subsequent theatres of Japan, Korea and Malaya. Field Force officers were attached to land based military units to meet operational commitments. The last Field Force officer returned to Australia following the closure of the Butterfield RAAF base in Malaysia in 1988. Researchers should also refer to: ‘Voluntary Aid Detachment Membership Registers’ (1915- 1919) (2016.0074) Previous control V30 as well as ‘Correspondence Files, National Headquarters’ (2015.0033) Previous control NO.33. Researchers should note that under the Geneva Conventions Act 1957 protections govern the use of the Red Cross emblem. For further information see Archives staff.