Chapter Tegen wil en dank : Het gebruik van ziekenauto’s door het Nederlandse Rode Kruis tot en met de Eerste Wereldoorlog

Abstract

Since its establishment in 1867, the Dutch Red Cross primarily focused on neutral assistance on the battlefield and support for the Military Medical Service. Influenced by two disasters that struck the Netherlands in the early twentieth century, the organization expanded its efforts to include aid to civilians in disaster situations. Thanks to a donation of two ambulances in 1909, the Red Cross entered the field of patient transport. Shortly before this, it had started to set up transport columns. The Head Committee purchased two additional ambulances, but it soon became clear what problems this would bring. By renting two ambulances to the municipal health service in The Hague and placing the other two with local branches, they managed to limit the damage. However, technical issues and unforeseen fire damage caused significant financial strain. Consequently, the trial did not meet expectations, and the Head Committee decided, despite various local experiments during World War I, not to acquire any more ambulances.