IRISH WAR HOSPITALS SUPPLY DEPOT WOMEN'S VOLUNTEER WAR WORKER BREAST BADGE. Comprising a bronze Women's Volunteer Worker badge, a crowned "VW" monogram, attached to a length of black ribbon, the ribbon suspended from a bronze brooch pin suspender bearing the letters "I.W.H.S.D." in relief, the Volunteer Worker's badge with makers mark of "Gaunt London" and numbered "108762". Stout pins to reverse of the VW badge and top brooch suspender. Ribbon slightly worn, otherwise good condition and generally Good Very Fine or better, and Rare.
The Irish War Hospitals Supply Depot was established at 40 Merrion Square, Dublin, in December 1916. The women volunteers there made a variety of medical dressings, bandages, and papier mache surgical applications, along with sphagnum moss dressings. As a result of the war, one of the first articles to become scarce was cotton wool, and sphagnum moss proved to be a good substitute because of its excellent absorption properties. Women volunteers from the War Hospitals Supply Depot were seconded for service with the Central Spaghnum Moss Collection Depot, and spent many an afternoon gathering moss from bogs in the Dublin mountains. The moss was then sterilised, dried and sent to the various war hospitals in Ireland. The central depot for sphagnum moss collection in Dublin was in the Royal College of Science in Merrion Street, Dublin (now the Department of the Prime Minister, An Taoiseach). In addition to producing medical supplies in-house, the Irish War Hospitals Supply Depot at Merrion Square was supplied by various organisations and institutions from throughout Ireland with aids for wounded soldiers, which it also distributed to War Hospitals. The Athy Technical School, for instance, manufactured splints, bed rests, bed trays and crutches in support of the Irish War Hospitals Supply Depot's war effort.
