Second World War

THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN

The Battle of Britain

Background “By night and by day Red Cross workers are on duty and Red Cross aid is ever at hand” The Red Cross Journal, October 1940, p.256

The Battle of Britain is the name given to the Second World War air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940. The Battle of Britain was the first major campaign to be fought entirely by air forces, and was also the largest and most sustained aerial bombing campaign to that date. The German objective was to gain air superiority over the Royal Air Force (RAF), especially Fighter Command. From July 1940, coastal shipping convoys and shipping centres, such as Portsmouth, were the main targets; one month later, the Luftwaffe shifted its attacks to RAF airfields and infrastructure. By preventing Germany from gaining air superiority, the British forced Hitler to postpone (and eventually cancel) Operation Sea Lion, a planned invasion of Britain by sea and air. However, Germany continued bombing operations on Britain, known as The Blitz. The plan was to destroy morale through heavy bombing raids on towns and cities.

Civilian casualties “In this strangest and most cruel of wars the very order of Nature seems reversed; women and children are in the front line, and the fury of the enemy descends upon defenceless, non-combatant folk” The Red Cross Journal, October 1940, p.255

At the time of its formation in 1893, the purpose of the Red Cross movement was for ‘assistance of the suffering of the sick and wounded of the Armies in the Field’. By the time of the Second World War a new need had arisen as a consequence of modern warfare – to support the wounded, injured and psychologically affected civilian victims. The strength and soundness of the British Red Cross movement was shown by the readiness with which, without lessening in any way its original purpose, it was able to assume this new responsibility. Without delay the Joint War Organisation of the British Red Cross and Order of St John placed £50,000 at the disposal of the City and County of London Joint Committee, for use, at the Committee’s discretion, in the relief of civilian suffering and distress. It also allocated a further £200,000 for similar relief throughout the country. Financial relief was only one form of emergency assistance which the War Organisation encouraged County branches of the British Red Cross to give. Red Cross members operated

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ambulances, acted as stretcher bearers, ran mobile units, and made up first aid parties, rescuing people from buildings demolished by bombs. They also manned first aid posts, such as the London Underground stations that people were using as air raid shelters.

London During the September air offensives, the County of London branch rapidly distributed large quantities of medical supplies, blankets and pillows to town halls and emergency rest centres. Also supplied were: >>invalid and infant food >>food such as fresh fruit, soups, biscuits >>medical equipment >>hot-water bottles >>mattresses >>soap and towels. Large consignments of hospital clothing, pyjamas, bed-jackets, towels, bandages and splints were sent to hospitals for air raid casualties. Many requests were received by the London branch for first aid equipment. Medical and first aid supplies were sent to Women’s Voluntary Services for distribution to rest centres, large public shelters, and Underground shelters which, although staffed by members of the Red Cross, did not have any supplies. The personnel of the County of London branch had practically doubled since the outbreak of war. Volunteers contributed to the work of: >>hospitals >>first aid posts >>mobile units, with stretcher parties and in hospitals >>River Emergency Service >>ambulance trains

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>>shelters and rest centres >>small hospitals for the elderly who had been bombed out of their homes. The Middlesex Branch established well-equipped and staffed hostels and rest houses for men, women and children who had been bombed out of their homes in London by the German Air Force. The Branch also opened and equipped twenty-one sick bays for civilian air raid victims, established two homes for the aged who had been rendered homeless, and two hostels for bombed-out husbands whose families had been evacuated to the countryside.

Coventry On the night of 15th-16th November Coventry was the target of heavy bombing. The city’s medical stores were destroyed at the beginning of the attack. The War Organisation cooperated with the immediate renewal of the stocks. Twelve ambulances were supplied; and to supplement existing staff, the Trained Nurses Department sent nursing sisters and theatre sisters to hospitals in the Midlands where the wounded had been evacuated. In addition, a motor X-ray van was dispatched and gave valuable service. Anti-gangrene and anti-typhoid serums were sent by road within a few hours. Other drugs were included in the consignment, together with a comprehensive selection of surgical stores, drugs and hospital equipment. Help given to the Coventry area provided the War Organisation with knowledge of the needs arising from concentrated attacks on densely populated areas and how to meet them.

Other cities Assistance was given to the other cities and towns during or after concentrated air bombardment, during the winter and spring of 1940-41. Medical, hospital and other equipment were supplied to: >>Southampton >>Glasgow >>Grimsby 4 of 6

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>>Bristol >>Belfast >>Liverpool >>Plymouth The raids provided a new demand, confirmed by later raids elsewhere, to provide aid for the stream of refugees leaving bombed urban areas for surrounding country districts.

Flying Column The Flying column comprised a first aid car, one or two ambulances, a mobile canteen, a supply van, a staff car and a motor cycle for a dispatch rider. This was formed to help any target area that needed instant reinforcement of relief services. The formation was sent to areas which were heavily and continuously bombed at the request of the senior regional officers of the Ministry of Health.

Civilian use of Convalescent Homes The establishment of convalescent homes and auxiliary hospitals throughout the country was at the request of the Ministry of Health. Originally it was intended that they should be for military patients only. However, the intake of armed forces patients was much fewer than anticipated and, as the enemy air attacks were injuring a considerable numbers of civilians, it was agreed to admit these casualties. During the year 1940-1941 3,500 wounded and injured civilians were admitted to convalescent homes. Relief was not limited to civilians who had been injured. Those who were suffering from the stress of losing loved ones or their homes were not excluded from assistance.

Funding The War Organisation of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St John announced it had placed £250,000 at the disposal of the local Committees for the relief of the immediate needs of those suffering as a result of air-raids. The money was for emergency purposes and could be applied in cash or kind, A person need not have suffered from bodily harm to receive help. In the administration of the fund the War Organisation co-operated with local authorities and other established relief organisations. Large donations for the relief of civilian sufferers continued to arrive from overseas.

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Sources: >>The Red Cross and St John War Organisation 1939-1947, compiled by P.G.Cambray & G.B.Briggs, London,1949 >>The Red Cross Journal, October 1940, p.255 & 256 >>The British Red Cross Quarterly Review, Vol 28 No.4, October 1940, p. 249 & 250 >>The Second Annual Report of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St John, 1940-1941

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