Posted 28 May 2011 by Hunter
I am looking for any information about Nurses within the Italian Army during WW2, primarily North Africa. Can any one suggest some books or other sources of information for me? I am seeking to copy several nurses uniforms for my wife and her entire group so they can build that impression. I hope some one here can help.
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Posted 29 May 2011 by Jeff Leser
Hunter
I will need to find the thread, but I addressed this issue awhile ago. No females served as part of the R.E. (or any part of the Italian military prior to 43). Nurses were either Red Cross (and wore those uniforms) or members of a Holy Order (Nuns, and wore the clothing of their order). The latter were more common.
I will need to poke around to find that thread.
Pista!
Jeff
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Posted 29 May 2011 by Hunter
Great thank you! I did a search on it before I opened up the thread but I must have missed it, the only substantial thing I came across was a post by Larusso asking a similar question with no reply.
Red Cross is what I had in mind for the most part. Anything and everything would probably prove useful to me in some regard. So, how about Italian Red Cross then? I had found an original WW2 Italian Red Cross uniform on Ebay once but it sold for a price beyond my budget. I had dearly hoped to copy it.
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Posted 29 May 2011 by supermario
Hunter, I hope this helps.
Its the Archives of the Croce Rossa Italiana, and has some original photo's of Nurses in North Africa as well as russia and hospital ships.
My link
Also, if it helps, here is a link to a page on our website, as we sometimes have nuses attend our show. Hopefully will have two this year.
My link
If you wish t make a uniform, all i can tell you is that it is a simple A-Line dress, with a rounded collar, with 6 buttons to the waist line from the top of the collar. It could either be long sleeve or short sleeve (Often short sleeve dresses were issued with long cotton 'guantlets for the arms). The head dresses were Dark blue for nursing sister, and white for volunteer nurse, and similar to DRK nurses caps, except they were plain white and had the CRI red cross symbol (a cross of St George surrounded by a red octogon) on the hat brim. The Aprons are a simple Apron layout, with the long straps that go over the shoulders, cross over at the shoulder blades, pass through two loops on the upper outer edge of the wide part of the apron then are either tied or buttoned at the back.
All uniform was in white cotton. Shoes were white plimsols.(White Deck Pumps are practically identical!). In some photo's, the nurses appear to be wearing Army great coats and M1912 boots in rough weather conditions. There was also a special cape issued, that was worn like the Alpini Mantello, but had an integral hood. Believe this was Grey Green in colour too, but i've only ever seen photo graphs. Could possibly be in Plain grey wool, as this colour was used by many of the European Red Cross during the war.
Hope this helps.
I am looking for any information about Nurses within the Italian Army during WW2, primarily North Africa. Can any one suggest some books or other sources of information for me? I am seeking to copy several nurses uniforms for my wife and her entire group so they can build that impression. I hope some one here can help.
---------------
Posted 29 May 2011 by Jeff Leser
Hunter
I will need to find the thread, but I addressed this issue awhile ago. No females served as part of the R.E. (or any part of the Italian military prior to 43). Nurses were either Red Cross (and wore those uniforms) or members of a Holy Order (Nuns, and wore the clothing of their order). The latter were more common.
I will need to poke around to find that thread.
Pista!
Jeff
-----------------
Posted 29 May 2011 by Hunter
Great thank you! I did a search on it before I opened up the thread but I must have missed it, the only substantial thing I came across was a post by Larusso asking a similar question with no reply.
Red Cross is what I had in mind for the most part. Anything and everything would probably prove useful to me in some regard. So, how about Italian Red Cross then? I had found an original WW2 Italian Red Cross uniform on Ebay once but it sold for a price beyond my budget. I had dearly hoped to copy it.
------------
Posted 29 May 2011 by supermario
Hunter, I hope this helps.
Its the Archives of the Croce Rossa Italiana, and has some original photo's of Nurses in North Africa as well as russia and hospital ships.
My link
Also, if it helps, here is a link to a page on our website, as we sometimes have nuses attend our show. Hopefully will have two this year.
My link
If you wish t make a uniform, all i can tell you is that it is a simple A-Line dress, with a rounded collar, with 6 buttons to the waist line from the top of the collar. It could either be long sleeve or short sleeve (Often short sleeve dresses were issued with long cotton 'guantlets for the arms). The head dresses were Dark blue for nursing sister, and white for volunteer nurse, and similar to DRK nurses caps, except they were plain white and had the CRI red cross symbol (a cross of St George surrounded by a red octogon) on the hat brim. The Aprons are a simple Apron layout, with the long straps that go over the shoulders, cross over at the shoulder blades, pass through two loops on the upper outer edge of the wide part of the apron then are either tied or buttoned at the back.
All uniform was in white cotton. Shoes were white plimsols.(White Deck Pumps are practically identical!). In some photo's, the nurses appear to be wearing Army great coats and M1912 boots in rough weather conditions. There was also a special cape issued, that was worn like the Alpini Mantello, but had an integral hood. Believe this was Grey Green in colour too, but i've only ever seen photo graphs. Could possibly be in Plain grey wool, as this colour was used by many of the European Red Cross during the war.
Hope this helps.
