Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Russell family medals:

A Second World War R.R.C., Great War A.R.R.C. group of eight attributed to Sister Amy Russell, Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service
Royal Red Cross, 1st Class (R.R.C.) silver-gilt, gold and enamel, reverse dated ‘1943’, on bow ribbon, in Garrard, London case of issue; Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class (A.R.R.C.) silver and enamel, on bow ribbon, in Garrard, London case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf, all unnamed, these six mounted as worn; together with two St. Barnabas Guild for Nurses Medals, bronze, identical, unnamed

Three: Private Thomas Russell, 7th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, killed in action, Gallipoli, 8 August 1915
1914-15 Star (10371 Pte., Glouc. R.); British War and Victory Medals (10371 Pte., Glouc. R.)

Three: Private Samuel Russell, Gloucestershire Regiment
1914-15 Star (16238 Pte., Glouc. R.); British War and Victory Medals (16238 Pte., Glouc. R.) mounted as worn, good very fine and better (16) £550-650

Amy Russell

A.R.R.C. London Gazette 21 June 1918. ‘Miss Amy Russell, Sister, Q.A.I.M.N.S.(R.), Mil. Hospl., Dover.’

R.R.C. London Gazette 18 February 1943. ‘Miss Amy Russell, A.R.R.C. (209113), Sister, Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (Leeds).’

M.I.D. London Gazette 8 November 1945 (North West Europe).

Recommendation for the R.R.C. reads: ‘This lady has been attached to the Regular Nursing Service as a Reserve for almost unbroken service since the last war. Quiet, competent, and energetic, she has rendered expert and valuable service by her devotion to duty throughout her time in the General Hospitals of the Middle East. For the past six months she has been in charge of the Acute Surgical Division in her hospital, a position which entails a considerable amount of responsibility. By her cheerful willingness, and the sacrifice of much spare time, she has always maintained a very efficient, smooth running department.’

Amy Russell was born in Admington Shipstone-on-Stour c.1886, daughter of Joseph and Minnie Russell and elder sister of Thomas and Samuel Russell (below). During the Great War, as a Sister in the Q.A.I.M.N.S.R., she served at the Military Hospital at Dover. For her services she was awarded the A.R.R.C. Between the wars she worked at military hospitals in England and India. In the Second World War she was amongst the first medical staff to be sent to Dieppe in 1939. In 1940 she was evacuated to England. She was then posted to the Middle East, and was for a time at the military hospital at Heliopolis. For her services in that theatre of war she was awarded the R.R.C. Later serving in Italy and then in N.W. Europe. She was with the first mobile hospital unit to go into the horror that was Belsen Concentration Camp. For her services in North West Europe she was mentioned in despatches.

Amy Russell ‘officially’ retired as a Senior Sister in 1949, after over 30 years of nursing service but in actual fact continued to work in the X-Ray Department of Warneford Hospital whilst living at Leamington.

Sold with a newspaper cutting bearing a photo of Miss Russell and detailing her nursing career; a St. Barnabas Guild for Nurses magazine, Summer 1960; copied recommendation and gazette extracts.

Thomas Russell

Thomas Russell was born in Admington Shipstone-on-Stour c.1891, the brother of Amy (above) and Samuel (below). Employed before the war as a Gardener’s Labourer. He enlisted at Campden, Gloucestershire. Serving in the 7th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, he entered the Balkan theatre of war on 19 June 1915. He was killed in action in Gallipoli on 8 August 1915. His name is commemorated on the Helles Memorial. With copied m.i.c., war diary extracts and casualty and census details.

Samuel Russell

Samuel Russell was the brother of Amy and Thomas (above), born in Admington Shipstone-on-Stour c. 1904. As a Private in the Gloucestershire Regiment he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 18 July 1915. With copied m.i.c.