Guest EPPSY Posted 7 June , 2005 Share Posted 7 June , 2005 G'day All Just came across the following in Lond Gazette. The undermentioned ladies are permitted to retain the badge of Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service in recognition of their service:- Miss A Barker RRC Late Sister QAIMNS Miss AL Cox RRC Late Matron QAIMNS Miss IM Johnston Late Sister QAIMNS Mrs BM Thomas ARRC Late Sister QAIMNS They obviously have retired from the service and the badge that is mentioned, I take to be the QAIMNS Medal that is worn on the Cape. Has anyone else come across this before ???? Regards Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 8 June , 2005 Share Posted 8 June , 2005 The service badges of the QAIMNS and the TFNS were sacrosanct – the crown jewels could hardly have been guarded more closely. After the war the TFNS nurses were allowed to keep their badges if they had completed at least four years ‘approved war service’ and they received a letter on resignation that said something like ‘Her Majesty has graciously agreed that you may retain your badge… ‘ etc., ‘Her Majesty’ being Queen Alexandra. With less than four years service they had to be returned. The regular sisters of QAIMNS fared even worse, as they were only allowed to retain their badges if they retired on pension at the end of at least 20 years service. Some nurses were bold enough to complain. Alice Cassells, a TFNS staff nurse at No.4 Scottish General, Glasgow, had a great deal of sick leave and was eventually discharged against her own wishes after 2 years 8 months service. She wrote saying that she wished to retain her badge as she would stay given the chance. The Matron-in-Chief replied: ‘On no account can permission be given to keep this badge. It is the property of the Government and sanction for its retention is only given in exceptional cases by Her Majesty Queen Alexandra herself.’ So Miss Cassells wrote a personal appeal to the Queen, who did not refuse her. This from the WO to Charlotte Knollys, principal lady-in-waiting: ‘Of course this nurse must retain her badge if the Queen wishes it; it is different to the other nurse who threw up her war work for her own purposes. Would her Majesty mind waiting until we get a report upon her work before giving this special privilege. I am sure her Majesty would only like to allow it if the nurse has been a good and faithful worker.’ She was allowed to keep it - ‘as a special case you may be permitted to keep the badge in view of the services you have rendered.’ In more recent times QA Sisters have to hold a regular commission, and work at least 8 years [to rank of Major] before being allowed to retain the badge. Most, therefore, go badgeless still Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EPPSY Posted 8 June , 2005 Share Posted 8 June , 2005 Once again Sue you amaze me with your knowledge of QAIMNS & TFNS It just seemed unusual to see a Lond Gazette entry for retaining what is a service BADGE Many thanks Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 8 June , 2005 Share Posted 8 June , 2005 I agree it's extraordinary - can you imagine an endless list of infantry officers who had been allowed to retain their collar dogs! However, when you're dealing with the Crown Jewels... ... and having traced three of these women, they seem to form a group who didn't fit the normal criteria for retaining their badges. Annie Cox was one of the few women to be appointed to the new service in 1903 with the rank of Matron, and at the age of 43, and could never have fitted in her total years to pension before retirement age - she died in 1927. And Irene Johnston, and Beatrice Nye [Thomas] both resigned on marriage long before they would have qualified. I can understand why Miss Cox would have been so honoured, but have no idea how/why the rules were changed for the other two or how often it happened. But maybe the announcement had something to do with the 'award' being against the normal way of things. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Armstrong Custer Posted 8 June , 2005 Share Posted 8 June , 2005 Why didn't they just say they'd 'lost' their badge when the time to hand it in came? Ciao, GAC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ypres1418 Posted 8 June , 2005 Share Posted 8 June , 2005 maybe they would have had to pay for it and on a nurses pay!!!!!!!! Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 8 June , 2005 Share Posted 8 June , 2005 Why didn't they just say they'd 'lost' their badge when the time to hand it in came? Ciao, GAC <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I suppose the principle of the thing. Very annoying that they had to turn it in - I expet they would have been very proud of their service and felt they had a right to it. I like the Queen's intervention in the matter! Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Armstrong Custer Posted 8 June , 2005 Share Posted 8 June , 2005 maybe they would have had to pay for it and on a nurses pay!!!!!!!! Mandy <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yes, they probably would've charged 'em for the privilege - but hasn't nursing always been an exceedingly lucrative pursuit? Ciao, GAC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 9 June , 2005 Share Posted 9 June , 2005 Of course they had to pay if they lost a badge! This is from the regulations for the TFNS [1912] Silver Service Badge - The Silver Service Badge is to be worn on the right side of the dress, cape or apron, and is always to be worn when in nursing uniform, with the permission of the Hospital or Institution Authorities to which the Member belongs. If a badge is lost, application should be made to the Secretary of the War Office, giving full particulars of how it was lost, what steps have been taken for its recovery, appending a certificate from the Principal Matron certifying that the applicant is a Member of the Territorial Force Nursing Service and enclosing 1/9. A new badge will then be forwarded to the Member. The badge is the property of the State, and must be returned by the Member to the Principal Matron when leaving the service. Maybe for a lot of women eager to escape the service, whether they retained their badge or not was of no importance. Just something else to be accepted. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalredcross Posted 9 June , 2005 Share Posted 9 June , 2005 They were also ladies. It would not occur to most of them to make a false statement. I have also had a number of groups where Gazette permission to retain the badge has been given. It's not uncommon for regulars. NGG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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