Month: July 2023

Growth of National Societies and Red Cross movement

Index Home Red Cross Movement started in 1863, and the very next year invited delegates from 12 nations had their first conference in Geneva. The founding members agreed that different countries, who agree with the underlying principles of humanity, could form their own National Societies. While the initial purpose of International Red Cross was to take… Continue reading Growth of National Societies and Red Cross movement

Red Cross philately and the two world wars

Index Home Postage stamps and Red Cross share a close relationship. As early as 1870s, postal administrations in France, Germany and Switzerland exempted postage on letters posted by Red Cross organisations or by prisoners of war. Since, it was important to identify such letters, some national red-cross societies printed stamps. These were identification stamps, rather than… Continue reading Red Cross philately and the two world wars

Origin of the Red Cross movement

Index Home Nineteenth century Europe was a war theatre. These conflicts started with Napoleonic wars (1803-1815), and went on with revolution and conflicts of Italian and Prussian unification (1848-1866). Weapons, industries, revolutions, and colonialism were all working in tandem. Conflicts had become more and more devastating. In 1828, Henry Dunant was born in a business family.… Continue reading Origin of the Red Cross movement

Medical services in the sky

Index Home During First World War we began to use airplanes, both as a weapon and as a medical service. In 1917, a British plane evacuated a solder with a broken ankle. This is the first recorded aerial rescue. In the next ten years, British, French, and Germans had all used military air ambulances to evacuate… Continue reading Medical services in the sky