Ivan Maisky, Soviet Union Ambassador, talking to nurses from St John Ambulance Brigade and the British Red Cross, and inspecting Joint War Organisation parcels ready for shipment to Russian Prisoners of War

The Joint War Organisation was divided into different sections, including the Prisoners of War Department who were responsible for dealing with correspondence and parcels for Prisoners of War. Although the parcels were issued under the Joint War Organisation, they were colloquially known as Red Cross Parcels, likely because they were distributed by the International Red Cross distribution system.