If the humanitarian conventions accord special guarantees to medical personnel of the armed forces in the interest itself of its mission on behalf of wounded and sick military, why should we, members of civil defence, who carry out similar tasks for civilian victims of hostilities, not benefit as well from a privileged status and especially from a distinctive sign?

This is a wish often expressed by representatives of civil defence organizations, particularly when they are of a non-military character. This same question was thoroughly examined by a group of experts convened in June 1961 by the ICRC, and whose task it was to study the position of civil defence organizations in international law

Two representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Algeria were present on September 13 last at the release of twenty-five European nationals on whose behalf they had intervened energetically for the past few weeks. They had, in fact, already approached the Algerian authorities on a number of occasions with a view to obtaining the release of more than a thousand cases of missing persons which had been brought to their notice. The ICRC sent the following telegram from Geneva to Mr. Ben Bella, President of the Political Bureau :

On October 5, 1962, Edouard de Bondeli met his death in a railway accident.

It was with deep regret that the International Committee of the Red Cross learnt of the tragic end of its financial and administrative Director.

Dr. Jacques de Morsier who has just died in Paris, gave great service to the Red Cross. He performed outstanding work on behalf of the victims of war in circumstances which were often dramatic and in the midst of danger which never deterred him.

Throughout 1961 the actions of the International Committee of the Red Cross continued to be numerous, important and diverse. These are described in its Annual Report for 1961, recently published, recalling the various international currents which agitated the world during the past year, since, whenever men face each other with weapons in their hands, it is the duty of the Red Cross, and especially of the International Committee, to intervene in order to mitigate the distress caused by the conflict, and, in spite of the violence which is unleashed, to remind people of having the needs of humanity and fellowship respected.