LAND & WATER 
August 10, 191 6 
THE FRENCH RED CROSS. 
LONDON COMMITTEE : 
9 KNIGHTSBRIDGE, S.W. 
Some Account of its War-time Activity. 
The widespread interest aroused by France's Day in the work of 
the French Red Cross, has suggested that the publication of the 
accompanying details of its activities may possess a topical value 
for the British public. 
ORIGIN In the early stages of the war, the French Embassy 
was inundated by enquiries from individuals and 
societies, all anxious to discover how best they could help in the 
work of succouring the mass of wounded in France's gallant stand 
against the German hordes. Towards the end of 1914, His 
Excellency M. Paul Cambon, the French Ambassador, desiring to 
consolidate Red Cross work and minimise overlapping and waste, 
organised the Executive Committee, with offices at 23, Knights- 
bridge (later removed to No. 9), to deal with all Red Cross matters 
aflEecting France. La Vicomtesse de la Panouse, wife of the 
French Military Attache, was appointed Presidente, assisted by an 
influential Comity d'Honneur, of which Her Majesty Queen 
Alexandra graciously assented to become Patroness. Supported 
by M. Cambon and the members of the French Embassy, the 
Presidente is served by a permanent staff of volunteers, French and 
English, who devote the whole of their time and energies to the 
work. 
ITS AIM While officially representing in England the three 
great Red Cross Societies in France, it has, by mutual 
consent, been arranged that the London Committee should work 
with, rather than through, the Paris headquarters of the Croix 
Rouge Frangaise. Whether a hospital is Red Cross or Military, 
there is direct communication between its administration, surgeons, 
nurses, and even the patients themselves, and 9, Knightsbridgo. 
Thus the twofold purpose is accomplished of relieving suffering 
promptly, and at the same time carrying a cheering message of 
affectionate comradeship from the British Empire to the people 
oi France. 
Flanders to the Pyrenees ; Atlantic to the Alps. 
British hospitals for French sick and wounded are organised 
and operated entirely, or in part, by the Committee. Surgeons, 
physicians, nurses, orderlies, and other workers, who, for the most 
part, offer their services gratuitously, are sent to British and 
French units working from Flanders to the Pyrenees, and from 
the Atlantic to the Alps. Motor-cars and ambulances with volun- 
tary drivers are despatched to carry the wounded, convalescents, 
ataJS and stores, to and from the various hospitals; canteens are 
installed and worked by ladies under the auspices of the Com- 
mittee. 
Famous Surgeons Co-operate. 
A Medical Council has been formed, and at the request of the 
Ambassador has been joined by some of the leading surgeons of 
the day. The Committee has given facilities for a large number of 
surgeons to serve for varying periods in French hospitals, generally 
as volunteers. 
NURSES In their gigantic task, the French hospital authori- 
ties have welcomed the co-operation of British fully- 
trained nurses and probationers, who have worked with signal 
devotion, often under unaccustomed and arduous conditions, and 
have won the undying gratitude of the brave men they have served. 
In the First Aid courses at the French Hospital, Shaftesbury 
Avenue, 220 ladies have received certificates as "Aides 
Infirmiferes." 
BRITISH Some 25 hospitals aggregating close upon 3,150 beds 
HOSPITALS bave been equipped by Great Britain, and run by 
FOR THE British Staffs, entirely for French sick and wounded. 
FRENCH These Units enjoy the same financial support from 
the Government as do the French Red Cross Hos- 
pitals, but large sums are required in addition to their maintenance. 
Only those who have worked in these hospitals can fully realise 
the gratitude of the patients, their relatives and friends, for the 
loving care they have received from the highly qualified surgeons, 
nurses, and the devoted V.A.D.'s and other volunteers from 
Britain. 
2,000 have been helped directly in one way or another by 
FRENCH the London Committee. These are situated in every 
HOSPITALS part of France, in Algeria, Tunis, Lemnos, Salonika, 
etc. 
X-RAY AUTO- Many hospitals have been equipped by the Comite 
MOBILES with highly efficient X-Ray apparatus, indispensable 
in the diagnosis of bullet and shell wounds. By 
arrangement with the Headquarters Staff, ten specially constructed 
automobiles equipped for X-Ray work, have been provided by the 
Committee, and are now rendering fine service in charge of the 
most highly skilled military operators. 
DRUGS AND In France the manufacturing districts are largely in 
DRESSINGS, the hands of the enemy, therefore it can readily be 
CLOTHING, understood how gratefully consignments from 
STORES. ETC. Britain of drugs, dressings, clothing, and general 
day, and disinfecting apparatus, have been supplied to many depdts 
and hospitals. 
MOTOR Motor-cars and ambulances to the number 
DRIVERS of some 300, have gone to France under the auspices 
IN VERDUN of the London Committee. Some are gifts 
DESPATCHES to the Society, which finds volunteer drivers for 
them ; while the greater proportion are taken over by 
the donors and driven by them in the service of some hospital or 
group of hospitals. There is still a real need for ambulances and 
touring cars, especially at the more remote hospitals, whose means 
of locomotion are of the scantiest. At Verdun our voluntary 
British drivers were mentioned in despatches, and the two leaders 
received the Military Cross for conspicuous bravery under fire. 
More ambulances are continually required to make up the wastage, 
and there are excellent openings for voluntary drivers in these 
units working close behind the French lines. 
DENTAL Completely equipped dental-operating motor-vans, 
AMBULANCES each with two voluntary British dental surgeons and 
a dental mechanic, have been sent to work with the 
French forces, close behind the lines. 
CANTEENS The cost of administration of many canteens for 
weary soldiers and those for whom special invalid 
food is necessary, etc., falls upon the London Committee, and a 
special fund has been opened to help this excellent work, which 
gives strength and courage to thousands of men who have broken 
down under the terrific strain of present-day warfare. 
WORKROOMSAt the Head Office and at many branches the work- 
rooms turn out large quantities of clothing, bandages, 
etc., for the French Hospitals. There is great scope for the exten- 
sion of this excellent department, and ladies skilled in needlework 
are urgently needed. The work can also be done at home. Le 
Paquetage du Combattant, affiliated to the London Committee, 
sends "comforts" to French soldiers in the trenches, and 
to the French sailors guarding the Channel — especially to 
those men whose homes are in the invaded provinces, 
and who therefore can expect nothing from their relatives. Since 
November, 1914, 10,740 kit-bags have been sent containing 110,796 
garments such as shirts, socks, vests, pants, handkerchiefs, 
mufflers, etc., in addition to first-aid boxes, writing pads, pencils, 
razors, soap, chocolate. 
DISABLED The Government makes an allowance for the purchase 
SOLDIERS of artificial limbs ; but there is a splendid field for 
& SAILORS good work in organising institutions where, under 
skilled specialists, these brave men may obtain and 
learn to use the best available substitutes for those members which 
no human device can altogether replace. Then the soldier must be 
taught a trade which will enable him to live a useful life and not 
feel himself a burden on the community. The Committee has 
entered closely into touch with the French Societies for the Mutil^s, 
and hopes to be the channel for valuable support from Great 
Britain in this great work, completing as it does the first aid of 
the Red Cross and crowning the achievements of its surgeons and 
nurses. 
FRENCH A Special Fund is being raised for sending warm 
PRISONERS underclothing to these poor fellows, especially to 
OF WAR IN those from the invaded manufacturing districts of 
GERMANY France. The Fund has been liberally supi)orted by 
many people in England, who realise what this 
country would be like were London shut off from the great 
industrial North by a fence of bayonets. 
TRANSIT In addition to delivering its own goods, the Committee 
acts as forwarding agents for individuals and 
Societies all over the country. To all of these it offers free transit 
of stores to any French HiDspital (lied Cross or Military), thus 
utilising to the full the facilities which, on the request of the 
French Ambassador, have been granted to the Committee by the 
two Governments. 40,585 bales and cases were dispatched up to 
the end of May, 1916. 
RESOURCES Though the appeals made have been comparatively 
limited, the Committee has received in money and in 
kind, contributions from almost every part of the British Empire, 
and from the United States of America and other neutrnl 
countries. The response has been great ; but as the war goes on 
hospital resources become less, and the call for help becomes more 
insistent. Cheques should be made payable to the Hon. Treasurer, 
French Red Cross, and sent either to H.E. the French Ambassador, 
Albert-gate, S.W., or to the Head Office, 9, Knightsbridge, 
London, S.W., where gifts in kind will also be most gratefully 
received. 
AUDIT The finances of the Committee are managed under the 
guidance and scrutiny of the Hon. Auditors, Messrs. 
Price Waterhouse and Co., who are responsible to the French 
