Minutes by Joseph P. Walshe regarding the work of the Irish Red Cross in France

The Red Cross have two projects with regard to France, one to send a cargo of 1,000 tons of oats and 1,000 tons of potatoes, the other to establish a Hospital Unit of 100 beds.

The French Red Cross accepted both these projects, but, as M. Mathieu, who represented the London Committee of that body, was very slow and rather vague about the final arrangements, I thought it better, when Mr. Rivière arrived here, to ask him to put the whole matter before his Government. He did so, and he has informed me that his Government are very grateful for the offer which they gladly accept, but that they have not yet obtained the consent of the Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). Brest is the area designated for the Hospital Unit.

M. Rivière is now in London, and he hopes to get some idea of SHAEF’s attitude before he comes back.

There is nothing definite so far from the French Government about the food cargo.

Since writing the foregoing, the Secretary of the French Legation has informed me that his Government had now decided that, as the Irish Red Cross Hospital Unit would operate exclusively in a civilian area, the permission of SHAEF would not be required. M. Lalouette accordingly suggested that the advance party of four should go to Paris as soon as his Government had formally taken note of their qualifications. It is presumed that the preliminary procedure will take a week or ten days and that the party can go to Paris at the end of that time.

M. Lalouette also told me that there is a possibility of sending the Red Cross food cargo to France on a French boat, (from the British pool) at present in the Liffey.

The names of the advance party are as follows:

• Dr. McKinney;¹
• Mr. Michael Scott, architect;
• Dr. Thompson, Visiting Physician of St. Lawrence's Hospital;
• Dr. Corcoran, Assistant Surgeon, Mater Hospital.