WW1 Medals for Nurses

[Tabby Cat]

I have been sent this photo of my grandmother who served in France during WW1.  The medals appear to be the 1914 Star, Victory medal and War medal.  However, the centre medal appears to be worn back to front and possibly has another medal behind it but attached to the same ribbon.  Any ideas on why this could be? - or were they just pinned on incorrectly.

Geraldine

[liverpool annie]

Hi Tabby Cat!

What a wonderful photo!! You are lucky to have such a brave Grandmother!
Have you checked her medal card? I wonder if the other medal could be French maybe??

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/

Maybe if you could also post her name  and details - somebody will be able to tell you some information about her!!

Annie

[Tabby Cat]

I checked the medal cards - she had two; They are both in her married name - I could not find one in her maiden name which was Jones (she married in 1915).  If you can enlighten me regarding some of the info on the card I would be most grateful.  I know she served at Fort Mahon on the Somme and at Chateau Boisemont in Calais.  I have a copy of a letter from the French authorities thanking her for her services, so maybe they awarded her a medal as well.  Would there be any info on this at National Archives and what reference number would I look under.

Geraldine

[liverpool annie]

Geraldine!

Is there any way you could make the cards bigger? I'm squinting through a magnifying glass and I still can't see very well!!    - must be my age .... !

I'm also trying to see if the other medal could be the Royal Red Cross medal ...

http://static.flickr.com/32/63759378_d46798232a_o.jpg

Annie

Here's the others! except one has the oak leaves !
http://static.flickr.com/35/63761141_0b24075059_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/34/63761398_27fcea2a26_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/25/63761854_d29df6c84d_o.jpg

[Tabby Cat]

Ooops - I made the file smaller but overdid it.  Try this.  I think it might be something like the Red Cross medal as it looks angular rather than round.

Geraldine

[manmack]

geraldine,the medals are in the right order and they are what you say they are,she could bring a dead man back to life with a smile like that,theres a clever lady called sue on the great war forum,she will be able to help you further,mack

[liverpool annie]

I also asked Jim from GWF to take a look at your "Josie " too!!
He has a database of nurses - and knows a lot about them too!
Mack - do you think that is another medal and what does her card say?

Annie 

[liverpool annie]

OK I heard from Jim and he said

 
I can read most of the cards. The lower one has been raised once she married as a cross reference shoing her as British Red Cross and St. John of Jerusalem. The first card, from the top, See Mrs J.A.B. Johnson ie cross refering to the second card. B.E.F.1914 is British Expeditionary Force 1914. This means that the first medal on her chest should be the 1914 star rather than the 1914/5 star. She was with British Red Cross, Unit 6, Paris. She was a nursing sister. Her file number is B.R.X/13/1 (British Red Cross). The dates and other references I cannot help you with. She resigned on the 24th March 1915 and I would guess that was because she married. Married women were normally not allowed to serve. I hope that this helps, Jim   

So we still need to find out about the medals etc   

Annie

[liverpool annie]

By the way - there is a way to get her records

http://www.redcross.org.uk/standard.asp?id=3423

Good Luck!

Anniee