Red Cross ID & Parcel Card

This carefully reproduced set includes two significant wartime documents: a British Red Cross Food Parcel Card and a British Identity Certificate. Each item is printed on period-style card with precise detailing to reflect the paper-based bureaucracy and human effort behind wartime logistics and service identity. These replicas serve as powerful educational tools, offering insight into the everyday documentation used by those serving at home and overseas during the Second World War.

The British Red Cross Food Parcel Card, printed on a deep red card stock, would have been used to track the distribution of essential parcels sent to prisoners of war or individuals in difficult circumstances. Designed for completion in block letters, it includes space for name, passport or card number, and the signature of the recipient. The simplicity of the design hides its importance. To the individual receiving food from abroad or through aid organisations, this humble card meant nourishment, relief, and sometimes even survival. The original versions of these cards were a lifeline in the face of shortage, hunger, and uncertainty.

Alongside the parcel card sits the British Identity Certificate. This pale cream document, featuring the distinctive red cross and the titles of the Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force, was issued to identify medical and support personnel, especially in the field. These individuals had undergone special training and were protected under the Geneva Conventions. The certificate would list the full Christian names, surname, serial number, and date of issue, and was signed and authorised by a senior officer. Its presence allowed the bearer to carry out their duties with some measure of international protection, at least in theory.

For LARP enthusiasts, this set offers ready-to-use props that bring your character to life. Whether you are portraying a field nurse, a logistics officer, or a Red Cross volunteer, these documents will fit neatly into a pocket or ration wallet and spark conversation among players and spectators alike. Reenactors staging wartime hospital scenes, prisoner camps, or Red Cross distributions will find this set lends much-needed realism without the need for fragile original papers.

In classroom settings, both pieces are valuable for helping children understand the role of aid organisations and how civilians and service personnel alike were identified and supported. The food parcel card opens a dialogue about international relief efforts and the involvement of the British Red Cross in a time of limited communication and tight control over goods. Meanwhile, the identity certificate is ideal for discussing neutrality, humanitarian law, and the protection of medical staff in conflict zones. Together, they prompt questions, stories, and reflection in ways no textbook alone can manage.

Like all items from The Ration Room, these replicas are made in Wales and based on original documents held in private and public collections. The printing and material choice reflect our ongoing commitment to authenticity, providing you with props that feel and look the part without compromise. This set is often paired with our wider selection of civilian and military paper ephemera, including ration books, evacuation labels, and travel cards.

Contents:
One British Identity Certificate
One British Red Cross Food Parcel Card
Printed in Wales on vintage-style card stock

Perfect for:
LARP, theatre, museum exhibitions, school education, wartime storytelling, and period displays