Part of body armour worn by Mike Whitlam, Director General of the British Red Cross in 1993
Production date
1990s
Audio tour
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Details
Description
This body armour was part of a protective suit worn by Mike Whitlam who served as Director General of the British Red Cross from 1991 to 1999.
The large standard body armour was manufactured in November 1993 by Dowty Armourshield Ltd, a leading designer of ballistic protection systems founded in 1974. Body armour such as this is generally made from multiple layers of para aramid fibres such as Kevlar to protect the wearer.
Mike Whitlam had travelled to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina. By 1993 Bosnia was in the midst of a violent war. The war, which began on the 6th of April 1992 and officially ended on the 14th of December 1995 saw intense fighting between Bosnia’s several ethnic groups, including Bosnian Serbs, Croats and Bosnian Muslims known as Bosniaks, as well as the Serb dominated Yugoslav Army. The war finally came to an end with the signing of the Dayton Accord which split Bosnia into a Serb republic and a Croat-Bosniak federation.
Due to the Red Cross’s principles of neutrality and humanitarianism, the people of Bosnia received much needed aid. Red Cross planes brought in food such as wheat, sugar, corned beef, tea and tinned vegetables as well as warm clothes and medical equipment. On the ground soup kitchens were established.
This body armour shows the seriousness of the situation in Bosnia and emphasises the bravery of those in the Red Cross who provide much needed aid in highly dangerous and life threatening situations.
Audio recording by Zach Ploszay (volunteer), Manchester
The large standard body armour was manufactured in November 1993 by Dowty Armourshield Ltd, a leading designer of ballistic protection systems founded in 1974. Body armour such as this is generally made from multiple layers of para aramid fibres such as Kevlar to protect the wearer.
Mike Whitlam had travelled to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina. By 1993 Bosnia was in the midst of a violent war. The war, which began on the 6th of April 1992 and officially ended on the 14th of December 1995 saw intense fighting between Bosnia’s several ethnic groups, including Bosnian Serbs, Croats and Bosnian Muslims known as Bosniaks, as well as the Serb dominated Yugoslav Army. The war finally came to an end with the signing of the Dayton Accord which split Bosnia into a Serb republic and a Croat-Bosniak federation.
Due to the Red Cross’s principles of neutrality and humanitarianism, the people of Bosnia received much needed aid. Red Cross planes brought in food such as wheat, sugar, corned beef, tea and tinned vegetables as well as warm clothes and medical equipment. On the ground soup kitchens were established.
This body armour shows the seriousness of the situation in Bosnia and emphasises the bravery of those in the Red Cross who provide much needed aid in highly dangerous and life threatening situations.
Audio recording by Zach Ploszay (volunteer), Manchester
Collection Type
Objects
Inscription
Printed: DOWTY ARMOURSHIELD LTD. P.O. Box 456 MANCHESTER M60 2LL U.K.; PROTECTION LEVEL TYPE; IMPORTANT NOTE THIS CARRIER DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY BALLISTIC PROTECTION WITHOUT THE PANELS BEING INSERTED. IT IS IMPORTANT TO CHECK THE LABEL ON THE BALLISTIC PANEL OF THIS GARMENT TO DETERMINE THE PROTECTION LEVEL; MODEL; Style SBA/25; SIZE LARGE; NAME; SERIAL No.; OUR LOT No. 771; YOUR LOT No.; DATE OR MANUFACTURE NOV 1993; DATE OF ISSUE; CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS REMOVE THE BALLISTIC PANELS (FOR PANELS SEE SEPERATE CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS) THE CARRIER CAN BE HAND OR MACHINE WASHED IN WARM WATER. ONLY NON-CHLORINE BLEACH TO BE USED. LOW TUMBLE DRY. REMOVE IMMEDIATELY. STEAM IRON LOW SETTING IF NECESSARY; MANUFACTURED IN ENGLAND: on surface worn next to body
black printing, black ink stamp and handwriting on label
Stamped
Handwritten
black printing, black ink stamp and handwriting on label
Stamped
Handwritten
Catalogue Number
2091/2.4
Associated Person and Role
Worn by: Mike Whitlam
Associated Place
Associated Date
1993-1994
Associated Person
Subject auto tags
Object Types
Part of 1 highlight set
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