Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Rare Great War Gold Presentation Medal Awarded to Miss Maud Baldwin, 218 (Lewisham), London Voluntary Aid Division, For Her Services in That Hospital During German Zeppelin Raids, in 9 carat gold and enamels, hallmarks for Birmingham 1919, in the form of an ornate cross, the centre with applied circular plaque, in gold and enamels, with red cross and inscribed ‘London 218 V.A.D.’, the reverse inscribed ‘Awarded to Miss Maud Baldwin for air raid services’, with double loop suspension; together withB.R.C.S. Lewisham badge, in gilt metal and enamels; and B.R.C.S. War Service Medal 1914-18, nearly extremely fine and the first rare £400-500

An example of one of these medals was sold in these rooms on 29 March 2000. Included with this lot was some research from which the following has been extracted: ‘Members of the 218th London Voluntary Aid Division were awarded gold medals for the courage they showed in working in the hospitals at a time when Lewisham and the adjoining districts suffered heavily from air raids. The presentation was made by the Mayoress of Lewisham who paid a high tribute to the courage shown by these nurses.’