A fine and impressive Order of St. John group of seven awarded to Officer Elsie F. Bell, St. John Ambulance Brigade, late Voluntary Aid Detachment, whose nursing service spanned nearly half a century

The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Dame of Grace lady’s shoulder badge, gold and enamel, with heraldic beasts in angles, on lady’s bow riband; The Order of St John of Jerusalem, Officer’s (Sister’s) shoulder badge, silver and enamel, with heraldic beasts in angles, on lady’s bow riband; British War and Victory Medals (E. F. Bell. V.A.D.); Defence Medal; Coronation 1953, unnamed as issued; Service Medal of the Order of St John, with four Additional Award Bars (Cty/Supt. E. F. Bell. Derby. S.J.A.B. 1953.) minor white enamel loss to obverse tips of second, very fine and better (7) £400-£500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Norman Gooding Collection.

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Elsie Ferguson Bell was born in Stafford in 1891, the daughter of Sir John Ferguson Bell of Mickleover, a former Mayor of Derby. A nurse by profession, she served in France with the Voluntary Aid Detachment from 18 October 1916, including postings to No. 25 Stationary Hospital at Rouen, No. 47 General Hospital at Le Treport, No. 2 Stationary Hospital at Abbeville and No. 81 Stationary Hospital in Marseilles. Returned home to Derby, she later nursed in Ward VI of the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, her appointment finally ending on 15 March 1919.

Remaining in the Service of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, she is recorded in The Derbyshire Times of 18 June 1943 as a County Cadet Officer for the Nursing Division. A year later she is noted as 1st Lady County Cadet Officer. She was finally invested by Lord Wadhurst in March 1963 as a Dame of the Order of St John, the ceremony taking place at the Grand Priory Church, Clerkenwell, London.