The Australian Army Medical Corps in Egypt

*Hot-water Bottles

Housewives

*Insectibane

Looking-glasses

Matches

*Medicine Glasses

Old Linen

*Oil Heaters

Pencils

Periodicals

Pipes

*Primus Stoves

*Razors

*Razor Strops

*Rubber Sheeting

*Safety Pins

*Smoked Glasses

*Soap, Monkey Brand

*Soap, Shaving

* " Toilet

*Splints

*Sponges

*Tables, Folding

*Thermometers

Tobacco

*Toilet Paper

Tooth Paste

*Vaseline

Writing Pads

Note A.– As a general rule the Commissioners only supply goods that cannot be obtained from either Ordnance Dept. Army Service Corps, or Base Medical Depot Stores. Any O.C. requisitioning for goods of a kind properly obtainable from those sources should state on the requisition that the goods applied for cannot be obtained from the usual source.

Note B.– Regimental Medical Officers can obtain their requirements from the O.C. of the nearest Field Ambulance, who will forward requisitions to Red Cross.

    – —
    Officer in charge of Hospital.

[All the articles marked * were permanent Government issues, and any of the foodstuffs would have been supplied by Government if necessary. There was no practical difficulty in obtaining any articles from Government on proper application being made.]

BRITISH RED CROSS AND ORDER OF ST. JOHN

No. of Patients – For the Use of Patients

List of Articles in Red Cross Stores which may beRequisitioned for

    – 191

To the Commissioner,

British Red Cross and Order of St. John

Gresham Buildings, Cairo.

Please send to – the following articles:

will only be provided by the British Red Cross on the understanding that the Military Departments have been applied to and cannot supply, or that it is a case of grave or unexpected emergency. Such a demand to be supported by signature of O.C. Hospital, which implies he has indented on the department concerned and failed to obtain.

N.B.—All indents to be countersigned by the O.C. Hospital.

The British Red Cross has definitely been placed under military control, and the Chief Commissioner has been attached to the staff of the Commander-in-Chief. The work goes on just as usual, but if necessity arose the Commander-in-Chief could exercise his authority.

I understand that in France the Australian Branch British Red Cross has now been placed under military control; the Director of Medical Services, Australian Expeditionary Force, being Chief Commissioner and the other commissioners and officers being graded with various ranks. To me this arrangement is definitely a step in the right direction, though I still think the British system in Egypt is better. The officers of the Red Cross in Egypt have no rank, but are under military direction, and the Chief Civil Commissioner is attached to the staff of the Commander-in-Chief; he has had the rank of Hon. Colonel since the war began. It is interesting, however, to note that the Australian Branch British Red Cross has passed through four phases, so far as the work in the field is concerned:

(1) It was a purely military organisation.

(2) When the High Commissioner in Egypt was requested to form a committee it became a combined civil and military organisation.

(3) When the Australian commissioners were appointed it became a purely civil administration.

(4) It has finally become a combined civil and military organisation, in which the military element holds control.

This step further indicates the logical development, in my judgment, of both the Y.M.C.A. and the Red Cross. They should both be regarded as definite branches of the service. They should both be organised in time of peace largely as independent organisations, and as part of the Reserve, and, on declaration of war, they should be incorporated in the service and placed under military control. The function of the one would be to attend to the social wants of the men who are well, the other to attend to the wants of the men who are sick and wounded.