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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Voluntary Medical Medal with 4 Silver Bars


ForeignGong

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Hi all

Is there some where I can write to find information on a recipient of the above.

The lady in question is Dorothy Gertrude Nicholls.

Any help greatly appreciated

Peter

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She was a nursing sister, i.e. a trained nurse, with the Joint War Committee of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St. John. She trained as a nurse between 1915 and 1918 at St. George's Hospital, London and at some point during the war served in Russia. Her details should come up at some point when the BRCS records get to the letter 'N'. Agree with above that the medal and bars are probably BRCS or St. John related.

Sue

Ignore the bit about training 1915/18 - see later entries.

Edited by Sue Light
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Interesting that the 1914 Star roll shows a Dorothy Gertrude Nicholls going out very early as part of the BRCS Boulogne Unit No.5 as a Nursing Sister with a date of entry of 28th October 1914, but other information (General Nursing Council Register) shows her as training as a nurse between 1915 and 1918. So either she was not fully trained in 1914 and went back later to train in London, or possibly two different women here.

Sue

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Ah!

1886: The birth of a Dorothy Gertrude Nicholls was registered in 3Q 1886 in Tendring, Essex.
1895: The birth of a Dorothy Gertrude Nicholls was registered in 3Q 1895 in Wandsworth, London.
CGM
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It does seem probable that the later GNC entry isn't related to this Dorothy Nicholls, though even the younger DN seems too young to start her nurse training in 1915. But looks in any case as the later one best ignored.

Sue

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Peter

Is it the Voluntary Medical Service Medal you are referring to?

If so this Medal was instituted in 1932 for 15 years service with the British Red Cross Society or the St Andrew's Ambulance Corps. Each bar indicates a further 5 years service.

Sepoy

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Hi all

many thanks for all the info. The medal is the one Sepoy and Sue are referring too. I have just had the following emailed to me re Gertrude.

Born; 17th June 1886

Trained at Charing Cross Hospital

Served as a Nurse at

1. Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, 1906-1908.

2. St George’s Hospital, 1909-1913.

3. Women’s Hospital, Brighton 1914.

British Red Cross sent a unit No 5 to Boulogne which embarked 28th Oct 1914.

Dorothy was attached to No 13 Stationary Hospital B.E.F.; 1st Nov 1914.

Transferred to Malassises Enteric Hospital, St Omer; 31st Jan 1915.

Returned to UK, 28th Apr 1915.

Helped form the Anglo-Russian Hospital, which embarked from London aboard “SS Calypso”, 30th Oct 1915.

Disembarked Archangel, 6th Nov 1915.

Left Archangel by train via Yaroslavl, 9th Nov 1915.

Arrived Petrograd, 14th Nov 1915.

Died 2nd Aug 1980, retired Matron Cambridge Hospital. Was living at St Osyth, 18 High St Fulbourn.

How do I find out what voluntary work she was doing to receive the above medal and verify the bars as this adds up to 35 years????

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  • 3 years later...

I am opening this one again as I wish to know where the Rolls that cover the award of the Voluntary Medical Service Medal are kept as I am visiting the UK early next year and wish to do some days research.

Can any one help.

 

Thanks in anticipation

 

Peter

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just to add a little , The Medal was for Long and Efficient Service.

Which does not automatially equate to Voluntary Service as many of the  Sisters and Trained nurses were paid .

For many its a combination of Voluntary and paid service both war and peace

 

Kevin

 

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The Voluntary Medical Service Medal is administered and distributed by the British Red Cross Society.  A roll of all medals issued is held by the Red cross Archives in Moorgate, London.

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