The Australian Army Medical Corps in Egypt Part 25

These provisions apply to the guard of medical units and establishments under the circ.u.mstances indicated in Article 8 (2).

_Article 10_

The _personnel_ of Voluntary Aid Societies, duly recognised and authorised by their Government, who may be employed in the medical units and establishments of armies, is placed on the same footing as the _personnel_ referred to in the preceding article, provided always that the first-mentioned _personnel_ shall be subject to military law and regulations.

Each State shall notify to the other, either in time of peace or at the commencement of or during the course of hostilities, but in every case before actually employing them, the names of the societies which it has authorised, under its responsibility, to render a.s.sistance to the regular medical service of its armies.

_Article 11_

A recognised society of a neutral country can only afford the a.s.sistance of its medical _personnel_ and units to a belligerent with the previous consent of its own Government and the authorisation of the belligerent concerned.

A belligerent who accepts such a.s.sistance is bound to notify the fact to his adversary before making any use of it.

_Article 12_

The persons designated in Articles 9, 10, and 11, after they have fallen into the hands of the enemy, shall continue to carry on their duties under his direction.

When their a.s.sistance is no longer indispensable, they shall be sent back to their army or to their country at such time and by such route as may be compatible with military exigencies.

They shall then take with them such effects, instruments, arms, and horses as are their private property.

_Article 13_

The enemy shall secure to the persons mentioned in Article 9, while in his hands, the same allowances and the same pay as are granted to the persons holding the same rank in his own army.

CHAPTER IV MATERIAL

_Article 14_

If mobile medical units fall into the hands of the enemy they shall retain their material, including their teams, irrespectively of the means of transport and the drivers employed.

Nevertheless, the competent military authority shall be free to use the material for the treatment of the wounded and sick. It shall be restored under the conditions laid down for the medical _personnel_, and so far as possible at the same time.

_Article 15_

The buildings and material of fixed establishments remain subject to the laws of war, but may not be diverted from their purpose so long as they are necessary for the wounded and the sick.

Nevertheless, the Commanders of troops in the field may dispose of them, in case of urgent military necessity, provided they make previous arrangements for the welfare of the wounded and sick who are found there.

_Article 16_

The material of Voluntary Aid Societies which are admitted to the privileges of the Convention under the conditions laid down therein is considered private property, and as such to be respected under all circ.u.mstances, saving only the right of requisition recognised for belligerents in accordance with the laws and customs of war.

CHAPTER V CONVOYS OF EVACUATION

_Article 17_

Convoys of evacuation shall be treated like mobile medical units subject to the following special provisions:--

1. A belligerent intercepting a convoy may break it up if military exigencies demand, provided he takes charge of the sick and wounded who are in it.

2. In this case, the obligation to send back the medical _personnel_, provided for in Article 12, shall be extended to the whole of the military _personnel_ detailed for the transport or the protection of the convoy, and furnished with an authority in due form to that effect.

The obligation to restore the medical material, provided for in Article 14, shall apply to railway trains, and boats used in internal navigation, which are specially arranged for evacuations, as well as to the material belonging to the medical service for fitting up ordinary vehicles, trains, and boats.

Military vehicles other than those of the medical service may be captured with their teams.

The civilian _personnel_ and the various means of transport obtained by requisition, including railway material and boats used for convoys, shall be subject to the general rules of international law.

CHAPTER VI THE DISTINCTIVE EMBLEM

_Article 18_

As a compliment to Switzerland, the heraldic emblem of the red cross on a white ground, formed by reversing the Federal colours, is retained as the emblem and distinctive sign of the medical service of armies.

_Article 19_

With the permission of the competent military authority, this emblem shall be shown on the flags and armlets (_bra.s.sards_), as well as on all the material belonging to the Medical Service.

_Article 20_

The _personnel_ protected in pursuance of Articles 9 (paragraph 1), 10, and 11 shall wear, fixed to the left arm, an armlet (_bra.s.sard_), with a red cross on a white ground, delivered and stamped by the competent military authority, and accompanied by a certificate of ident.i.ty in the case of persons who are attached to the medical service of armies, but who have not a military uniform.

_Article 21_

The distinctive flag of the Convention shall only be hoisted over those medical units and establishments which are ent.i.tled to be respected under the Convention, and with the consent of the military authorities.

It must be accompanied by the national flag of the belligerent to whom the unit or establishment belongs.

Nevertheless, medical units which have fallen into the hands of the enemy, so long as they are in that situation, shall not fly any other flag than that of the Red Cross.

_Article 22_

The medical units belonging to neutral countries which may be authorised to afford their services under the conditions laid down in Article 11 shall fly, along with the flag of the Convention, the national flag of the belligerent to whose army they are attached.

The provisions of the second paragraph of the preceding article are applicable to them.

_Article 23_

The emblem of the red cross on a white ground and the words "Red Cross"

or "Geneva Cross" shall not be used either in time of peace or in time of war, except to protect or to indicate the medical units and establishments and the _personnel_ and material protected by the Convention.