Red Cross messages

Getting a letter from a loved one could make a world of difference for Prisoners of War (POWs).

New Zealand Red Cross set up a communications bureau during the war to send messages between next of kin and POWs. The messages could not contain any information about the POW's situation, only personal information to let their family and friends know how they were doing.

During the war the Communications Bureau recieved 138,780 messages from POWs and sent out 496,395.

The International Committee of Red Cross (pictured above) also had a Central Agency for Prisoners of War which, in six years, passed on 120 million messages for POWs.

The photo above was taken in World War One in Geneva, at the international agency for prisoners of war. This was for the transfer of letters to POWs.

Feature image: Permission of ICRC must be obtained before any reuse of this image.