The Royal Red Cross in WW1

[Ivor Anderson]

The Royal Red Cross was instituted on 23 April 1883. The first two awards were to Florence Nightingale and Jane Cecilia Deeble.

On 16 Nov 1915 a Royal Warrant was issued creating a second (associate) class of the award due to the high number of nurses serving in WW1.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29368/page/11324

The awards were listed in the London Gazette, but without a citation. Were all these awards for meritorious service or were some for bravery under fire?

e.g. LG just says 'valuable service in connection with the war': https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30350/supplement/10973

Edited 18 April by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[Ivor Anderson]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Red_Cross  "The award is made to a fully trained nurse of an officially recognised nursing service, military or civilian, who has shown exceptional devotion and competence in the performance of nursing duties, over a continuous and long period, or who has performed an exceptional act of bravery and devotion at her or his post of duty. It is conferred on members of the nursing services regardless of rank."

[alf mcm]

Ivor,

The mention of the Royal Red Cross being awarded for bravery on Wikipedia seems to be wrong. The TNA states;-

The Royal Red Cross was instituted as a decoration by Queen Victoria by royal warrant of 23 April 1883 for award to ladies who showed special devotion while nursing the sick and wounded of the Army and Navy.

In November 1915, the Royal Red Cross was expanded to two classes: First Class, or Member (RRC); and Second Class, or Associate (ARRC).

In 1917, arrangements were made for Members of the First Class who perfomed further outstanding services to be awarded a bar.

The decoration was specifically extended to the Nursing Services of the Royal Air Force in 1920 and to men in 1977. Award is now restricted to members of the Nursing Services of the Armed Forces and properly constituted Auxiliary Nursing Services working under Armed Forces control.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14352

  This shows that the award was for nursing only.

   The late Norman G. Gooding, forum name ‘Royal Red Cross’ wrote ‘Honours and Awards to Women – The Military Medal’. In this book he makes it clear that the Royal Red Cross was not to be awarded for bravery, only for nursing. Many nurses were awarded the Military Medal whist caring for their patients under fire. Norman’s book includes citations from the London Gazette and information from other sources such as recommendations and war diaries for most of these women.

Regards,

Alf McM

[Ivor Anderson]

Thanks Alf, That confirms my suspicion. An online sale of one has a newspaper cutting claiming it was for 'bravery under fire'.  Ivor

Edited 18 April by Ivor Anderson