Joint War Organisation

The Joint War Organisation (JWO) is a combined operation of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St John of Jerusalem and was controlled by the non-government Joint War Committee (JWC). The Joint War Finance Committee was created to raise donations and funding.

In August 1914, just after the outbreak of war in Europe, the British Red Cross and the Order of St John proposed to form the Joint War Committee with the intention of working with joint aims, reducing duplication of effort and providing St John personnel with the protection of the Red Cross. An agreement to the merger was concluded on 24 October 1914. The St Andrew's Ambulance Association in Scotland also joined the organisation.

Fundraising activities and resources were pooled and everyone worked together under the protective emblem of the Red Cross. The JWO became the main contact with the Royal Army Medical Services as regards patient services when casualties swamped the Army medical capability.

The Joint War Committee organised volunteers alongside technical and professional staff. It also supplied the machinery and mechanisms to provide services in Britain and in the conflict areas of Europe, the Middle East, Russia and East Africa. In the UK, each region created their local JWO with a chairman and committee.

Five years earlier in 1909, a scheme had been devised to organise volunteers into Voluntary Aid Detachments (VAD). The idea was to provide supplementary aid for the Territorial Medical Services.

Members of the British Red Cross and the Order of St John were organised into VAD's. Each VAD had either male or female VAD's.

By 1914 there were 2,000 VAD's with 70,000 volunteers, Within four years this had grown to 4,000 VAD's and 125,000 volunteers.

Volunteers were trained in a number of skills, with classes and examinations arranged by a local VAD.

VAD nurses were introduced into RAMC hospitals in England and France. VAD's also replaced males in hospitals so they could be sent to the field. VAD's worked overseas in transport and hospitals.

Auxiliary hospitals were established in suitable buildings where VAD's could serve including part-time VAD's, looking after recuperating patients. By the end of the war there were 1,786 such hospitals. Many were called ‘’’V.A.D. Hospitals’’’.

Katharine Furse was head of the VAD from 1915 to 1917, being made a Dame when awarded a G.B.E. for her services in 1917.

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