Medals from the Collection of Peter and Dee Helmore

A Second War O.B.E. and Order of St John Dame of Grace group of seven awarded to Rosina, Mrs. Balsdon, Lady County Superintendent for Plymouth, South West Devon and East Cornwall, St John Ambulance Brigade, who was awarded the O.B.E. in recognition of her services to Civil Defence during the Plymouth Blitz and handling Service and Civilian casualties from the Battle of the Atlantic

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E., (Civil) Officer’s 2nd type lady’s shoulder badge, silver-gilt; The Order of St John of Jerusalem, Dame of Grace, a post-1936 set of insignia, comprising neck badge, silver and enamel, with heraldic beasts in angles; Star, silver and enamel, with heraldic beasts in angles; Defence Medal; Jubilee 1935, unnamed as issued; Coronation 1937, unnamed as issued; Coronation 1953, unnamed as issued; St. John Service Medal, with six Additional Award Bars (14943. L/Cty Supt. R. Balsdon. Plymouth S.W.D. & S.E.C. Area No 9 Dis. S.J.A.B. 1936.) mounted court style for display, good very fine and better (8) £500-£700

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Peter and Dee Helmore.

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O.B.E. London Gazette 4 January 1944:
‘For services to Civil Defence’

Dame of Grace, Order of St. John London Gazette 25 June 1954


Rosina Balsdon (née Libby) was born in Morice Town, Stoke Damerel, Devon in 1897, the daughter of a Metropolitan Police Constable based at Devonport Dockyard. In 1919 she married James Balsdon, a Gunner ‘T’, Royal Navy who had been awarded a Distinguished Service Medal in 1917 and later went on to be awarded a George Medal whilst in charge of a 'Render Mine Safe Party’ in the Second World War.

Mrs. Balsdon enrolled as an Ordinary Member in the Devonport Nursing Division, St John Ambulance Brigade in May 1922 and was appointed County Officer for Devon in 1923, later in Command of Nursing Divisions for Devon. She was appointed a Serving Sister of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in January 1931 and was advanced Officer in 1933. As County Officer, St John Ambulance Brigade, she was awarded the King George V Jubilee Medal in 1935.

Mrs. Balsdon qualified as a Grade I Instructor in Anti-Gas and Chemical Warfare Precautions (Military), Anti-Gas Wing, Winterbourne Gunner, Salisbury in 1935. Appointed Lady County Superintendent for Plymouth, South West. Devon and East Cornwall, St John Ambulance Brigade, in 1936, it was in this capacity that she was awarded the King George VI Coronation Medal in 1937. Appointed County Air Raid Precautions Training Instructor, St John Ambulance Brigade, for First Aid and Nursing Services on 7 April 1938, during the Second World War she served as Member of the Joint War Organisation Committee of the Order of St John and British Red Cross Society and was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1944 New Year’s Honours’ List. The local press at the time noted the appointment was made in recognition of her services to Civil Defence during the Plymouth Blitz and handling Service and Civilian casualties from the Battle of the Atlantic, and she was invested with her O.B.E. by King George VI at Buckingham Palace in February 1944.

Post-War, Mrs. Balsdon qualified as a Civil Defence Instructor and was advanced Commander (Sister) of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in January 1948. As County Superintendent, St John Ambulance Brigade, Plymouth, South West Devon and East Cornwall she was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal in 1953 and was advanced to Dame of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem on 18 June 1954. She died in Saltash, Plymouth on 13 October 1977, aged 80.

Sold with copied research.

Note: The medals to the recipient’s husband, Lieutenant James Balsdon, G.M., D.S.M., Royal Navy, sold in these rooms in April 2024.