Soon after he had left, the crisis of May and June took place. Wounded and sick were poured into Cairo on a scale probably never known or equalled before. There have been occasions on which a much larger number of men have been wounded, but probably never any occasion in history in which so many wounded men have been handled in so limited a space. Fortunately preparation had been made by the D.M.S. Egypt, Surgeon-General Ford, D.S.O., and the D.M.S. A.I.F., Surgeon-General Williams, C.B., who instructed the O.C. First Australian General Hospital, Colonel Ramsay Smith, and myself as registrar to take over extra buildings and provide equipment. It was this action which prevented a disaster, and whilst not strictly a Red Cross matter was greatly aided by Red Cross equipment.
During this crisis I was instructed by the D.M.S. Egypt, Surgeon-General Ford, and the O.C. Australian Intermediate Base, Colonel Sellheim, to visit various hospitals in Egypt—both in Alexandria and the provinces—to interview the Australian wounded and supply all reasonable comforts. In accordance with this order, money and goods, either or both, were sent to various hospitals as set out in the various tables.
It so happened that the British Red Cross Society possessed neither money nor goods at the inception of the crisis, and the authorities were profoundly grateful for the help which the Australian Branch afforded. The British Red Cross, Egyptian Branch, at a later stage received large supplies of money and goods which were freely distributed. The fact that goods could be obtained from the British Red Cross Society, Australian Branch, soon became known, and many requisitions were received. The list of goods available was widely circulated and in no instance was the requisition of any Officer Commanding not complied with. It was always completed to the extent of our resources. Periodical reports of the work done were prepared and forwarded to the President of the Australian Branch British Red Cross Society, Melbourne.
Whilst the work was at its height a message from Australia reached His Excellency Sir Henry MacMahon, in consequence of which two Committees were formed on June 3, 1915—a General Egyptian Committee and an Executive Committee.
The members were:
Sir Courtauld Thomson is the Commissioner in the Mediterranean for the British Red Cross Society, and Sir John Rogers and Dr. Ruffer Deputy Commissioners in Egypt.
Surgeon-General Williams and Lieut.-Col. Barrett were appointed members of the Executive Committee of the British Red Cross Society in Egypt.
There was no amalgamation of the two branches, but by this arrangement each was kept informed of the activity of the other and wasteful overlapping was avoided.
Members of the General Committee investigated the work of the Australian Branch, were consulted in matters of policy, and received and investigated any complaints. They were most helpful.