Without the dire emergency of war, support for the Red Cross waned after World war I. Both funds and the number of volunteers for the organization decreased. Yet, ironically, the demand for Red Cross services continued to grow. Indeed, the period between 1923 and 1939 saw the Red Cross respond to a wide variety of natural emergencies including flood, earthquake and drought, as well as the ravages of the Great Depression. A wide-reaching famine in China brought its people to the lowest depths of poverty, which the Red Cross attempted to relieve. An earthquake, typhoon and fire struck Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan, in 1923, and the Red Cross responded with food, shelter and medical supplies. Between 1930 and 1932, drought sffected millions of lives and livelihoods in 23 American states, producing devastating effects which the Red Cross attempted to allay.

For all these natural phenomena and disasters, the greatest blow to humanity - and the event that would tax the resources of the Red Cross like none other - came from people themselves. By the end of the decade, the Red Cross would be helping European civilians suffering from Nazi and japanese armies, and ultimately find itself attending to the casualties of World War II.

Now, a vintage Red Cross ambulance vehicle - from that busy decade when the Red Cross was proving that its services were necessary in peace as well as in war - is recreated in a masterful die-cast model from Matchbox Collectibles. Handsomely painted a brilliant red and white and marked with contrasting Red and White Crosses, the Mercy Hospital 1937 GMC Ambulance features an emergency light on the roof and a wealth of authentic detail. It is produced by - and available only from - Matchbox Collectibles.

GMC Emblems and Van Body Designs are General Motors Trademarks used under licence to Mattel. Inc. Red Cross name and symbol used under licence by the American National Red Cross. All Rights Reserved

(1999)

Scale: 1:43