Records of the Joint War Organisation of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St John of Jerusalem
Production date
1924-1960
Collection Type
Archives
Level of Current Record
Fonds
History
On 2nd September 1939 the formal Agreement setting up a war organisation and providing for joint war services was sealed by the BRCS and OSJ. The initial steps had been taken in the Spring of 1939. In March the Joint War Committee of the 1914-1918 War appointed a sub-committee to consider what joint action should be taken in a national emergency. This sub-committee recommended to the Order and Society that a committee should be set up at once to make the necessary preparations. The two organisations approved this recommendation and the Emergency Committee came into being. At this time the War Organisation held only £2000, contributed equally by the two bodies. The Appeal on behalf of the War Organisation was issued on 9 September 1939 over the signatures of The Duke of Gloucester, Grand Prior of the Order of St John and Chairman of the Council of the British Red Cross Society; Sir Arthur Stanley, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Society; and the Earl of Scarborough, Sub-Prior of the Order. The Lord Mayor of London placed the Mansion House organisation at the disposal of The Duke of Gloucester and the War Organisation for the conduct of the Appeal.
An inaugural meeting was held at Mansion House on 20 September. A general council was elected. An executive committee was appointed, of which The Lord Mayor was the Chairman and Lord Illiffe the Deputy Chairman. The Appeal being launched, the War Organisation pressed the three Service Departments for more information. In October 1939 it received from the Adjutant-General at the War Office a comprehensive letter which had been submitted to the Admiralty and the Air Ministry "so that the War Organisation will know that all three services are in line." It was made explicit that the whole of the relief provided under the symbol of the Red Cross was for the sick and wounded of the Fighting Forces, prisoners of war interned in enemy and neutral countries, and civilians injured or sick as a result of enemy action. It did not cover relief of any kind to healthy members of the Fighting Forces or the civil population, or to normal patients in civil hospitals, or evacuated men, women and children.
The War Organisation held its final meeting on 28 May 1947. In 1941 men and women began to be invalided out of the Forces in increasing numbers. Many required emergency help. For some time the War Organisation made grants to the Joint Council to enable it to deal with these cases. This was an extension of its work in meeting the needs of the disabled ex-Service personnel from the First World War. Such an arrangement could be no more than a temporary measure. It was necessary to establish a joint organisation to accept the obligations arising from the 1939-1945 War as it could be assumed that the would continue for a period of some 30 years.
The Order and the Society planned to meet this requirement. In October 1944, by amendment to existing agreements between the Order and the Society, a joint body, designated the Joint Committee of the Order of St John and the British Red Cross Society was constituted.
An inaugural meeting was held at Mansion House on 20 September. A general council was elected. An executive committee was appointed, of which The Lord Mayor was the Chairman and Lord Illiffe the Deputy Chairman. The Appeal being launched, the War Organisation pressed the three Service Departments for more information. In October 1939 it received from the Adjutant-General at the War Office a comprehensive letter which had been submitted to the Admiralty and the Air Ministry "so that the War Organisation will know that all three services are in line." It was made explicit that the whole of the relief provided under the symbol of the Red Cross was for the sick and wounded of the Fighting Forces, prisoners of war interned in enemy and neutral countries, and civilians injured or sick as a result of enemy action. It did not cover relief of any kind to healthy members of the Fighting Forces or the civil population, or to normal patients in civil hospitals, or evacuated men, women and children.
The War Organisation held its final meeting on 28 May 1947. In 1941 men and women began to be invalided out of the Forces in increasing numbers. Many required emergency help. For some time the War Organisation made grants to the Joint Council to enable it to deal with these cases. This was an extension of its work in meeting the needs of the disabled ex-Service personnel from the First World War. Such an arrangement could be no more than a temporary measure. It was necessary to establish a joint organisation to accept the obligations arising from the 1939-1945 War as it could be assumed that the would continue for a period of some 30 years.
The Order and the Society planned to meet this requirement. In October 1944, by amendment to existing agreements between the Order and the Society, a joint body, designated the Joint Committee of the Order of St John and the British Red Cross Society was constituted.
Catalogue Number
JWO