The Red Cross Year, 1944 - 1945
Liz Richardson joined the Red Cross in July 1944. Assigned to the Clubmobile unit, she spent the next twelve months at posts in England and France, making and serving doughnuts and coffee to American G.I.'s. Exhibiting leadership and organizational skills, she was promoted to captain of her unit, which most often consisted of three young women and a British or French driver.
Some of the posts were situated in comfortable country homes, (by British standards) with hot water and a live-in cook. Bombing had destroyed others, like the chateau in LeHavre, France.
The Clubmobile women worked long days, sometimes twelve to fourteen hours. On a few occasions they worked round the clock to keep the U.S. troops fed with doughnuts and coffee during major deployments.
There
was still time for a social life, however. Liz had at least two
"romances" during her year in Europe. In England, a second
lieutenant, named Larry took her to division and civilian dances.
Larry's transfer pulled them apart in November 1944. When she was
sent to France in February 1945, she met Frank, a first lieutenant in
the Air Transport Command (ATC). This relationship was, by her own
account, "a nice habit." Frank attended her funeral. To
read journal excerpts from her time in the Red Cross, follow the 24 July
1944 link on the left side of this page.