Red felt cross cotton flag

Red felt cross stitched onto a cotton flag, complete with flag pole

In 1870, the British National Society for Aid to the Sick and Wounded in War was formed, following the out break or war between France and Prussia. In 1905, it was renamed as the British Red Cross.

The red cross symbol was first adopted under the Geneva Convention of 1864. It reverses the colour of the Swiss national flag of a white cross on a red background. Those wearing the red cross, crescent or crystal are protected under international law and symbolises they are there to give help. The Geneva Convention forms the basis of how soldiers and civilians should be treated during wartime.