Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War R.R.C. group of five awarded to Principal Matron Miss Rosalind M. Ruddock, Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service, late Territorial Force Nursing Service

Royal Red Cross, 1st Class (R.R.C.), G.VI.R. 1st issue, silver-gilt, gold, and enamel, reverse dated 1941; British War and Victory Medals (Sister R. M. Ruddock.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted for display purposes, the first with lady’s bow riband, minor chip to red enamel on first, otherwise good very fine (5) £600-£800

R.R.C. London Gazette 1 July 1941.

Miss Rosalind Maud Ruddock was born at Weymouth, Dorset on 9 January 1887, the daughter of Nathaniel Ruddock, a Royal Navy Schoolmaster. Following the outbreak of the Great War she attested for the Territorial Force Nursing Service and served in the Salonica theatre of War from 20 October 1916, before transferring to Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service. She was promoted Staff Nurse on 1 September 1919; Sister on 1 July 1926; Matron on 22 January 1938; and Principal Matron on 13 May 1942. She retired in 1947, and died in Worthing, Sussex, on 2 July 1975.

An article published in The Portsmouth Evening News on 28 September 1937 gives the account of an occasion when her motor car was stolen by two of her patients:
‘A 50-mile joy ride through two counties led to the appearance at Eastleigh, Hants, to-day of two men, patients at the Victoria Military Hospital, Netley, who admitted stealing a car belonging to the hospital matron, Rosalind Maud Ruddock, from outside nursing quarters on September 17.
Private Harold Cleaveley (20), of the Middlesex Regiment, stationed at Victoria Barracks, Portsmouth, was sent to prison for three months, and Rifleman Arthur Marsh (24), of the Rifle Brigade, stationed at New Barracks, Gosport, was handed over to the military authorities to be dealt with.
P.C. William Mann said that Cleaveley and Marsh were detained at Egham, Surrey. Cleaveley said, “Yes, I stole the car and drove it,” and Marsh's statement was, “If we had not run out of petrol you wouldn't have had us.”
It was stated that Cleaveley would not be accepted back into his regiment, but Marsh would be as he was due for an Indian draft in December.’

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