THE UNITED NATIONS RELIEF
AND REHABILITATION ADMINISTRATION

UNRRA  1944-1946

 

 

SHORT HISTORY

 

The representatives of 44 nations met in Washington on November 9 1943
to sign the agreement establishing the UNRRA.

Three more governments were admitted later, so that by 1946 UNRRA was composed of
and financed by 47 governments.

UNRRA's main task was to finance relief and rehabilitation supplies and services
in those liberated countries which requested help, and which lacked adequate foreign exchange
to finance the importation of supplies to cover the most urgent relief and rehabilitation needs.

UNRRA's authority in Occupied Germany has been broadly limited to dealing with displaced persons
of United Nations nationality in the American, British and French occupation zone.

 
Wiesbaden, August 1945.
Dr BOLLAERT André, a Belgian physician who worked
for UNRRA in 1945-1946.
  UNRRA meal voucher.

Under the basic agreement signed between UNRRA and SHAEF on November 25 1945,
the latter had to provide personnel to assist the military authorities in displaced persons operations
in regard to health, welfare, administration and transport.

Death Card of DE BONDT Marcel, UNRRA Transport Officer.
Died on active service at Tornstetten, Germany, on August 7 1946.

At the end of December 1945 UNRRA had sent into the three military zones of Occupied Germany
4.640 persons including several hundreds of Belgians.

From 1945 until the end of 1946 the UNRRA repatriated 6 millions of displaced persons to their homelands.

Operations in Germany were terminated by the end of 1946.

 

 

BADGES AND INSIGNIA

 

THE UNIFORM.

Though UNRRA was not a military organisation, both British and US uniforms were worn,
with the main purpose of providing some authorithy to the UNRRA personnel.

Uniforms were dyed chocoloate brown, to make a difference between military and UNRRA personnel.

Battle Dress blouse worn by MAQUESTIAUX, a Belgian member of UNRRA.

 

CAP BADGE

UNRRA had it's own cap badge.

Two versions have existed.

A white globe on a dark red background.

White "UNRRA" on a scarlet circle.

Both versions were worn on the field cap and on the béret.

 
Globe version.   "UNRRA" version.
On the right a UNRRA member with the globe on his field cap.

 

ARM TITLE

Two versions of the arm title have existed.

White embroidered "UNRRA" on a curved scarlet background.

White embroidered "UNRRA" on a dark red rectangular background with white border.

The Arm Title was also worn on the shirt.

Curved "UNRRA" arm Title.
Variant.
Rectangular "UNRRA" Arm Title.
Curved "UNRRA Arm Title worn on Great Coat.
Belgian member of UNRRA wearing the curved "UNRRA" Arm Title on his shirt.

 

SHOULDER STRAP INSIGNIA

A brass "UNRRA" version has been worn on the shoulder straps of the uniform.

UNRRA worn on the shoulder straps.

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