Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Second War R.R.C. group of seven awarded to Matron Dora G. Grayson, Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service, late Civil Hospital Reserve

Royal Red Cross, 1st Class (R.R.C.), G.VI.R. 1st issue, silver-gilt, gold, and enamel, reverse dated ‘1942’, on lady’s bow riband; 1914 Star (Miss D. G. Grayson. Civ: Hosp: Res.); British War and Victory Medals (Sister. D. G. Grayson.); 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, very fine and better (7) £800-£1,000

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

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Glendinings, September 1988.

R.R.C. London Gazette 11 June 1942.

Dora Granville Grayson was born in Kendal, Westmorland, on 16 March 1884, the daughter of wine and spirit merchant Oscar Granville Grayson. Educated at the Cheltenham Ladies’ College, she took her nursing studies at The London Hospital from 27 July 1910 to 28 July 1914 and then joined the Civil Hospital Reserve. This unit represented a group of trained nurses from throughout the United Kingdom who were vetted and recommended by their civil hospital matrons, each one willing and able to mobilise with the military nursing services in case of a future war; Grayson was promptly called up and disembarked in France on 8 August 1914, a member of the first party of 38 Civil Hospital Reserve nurses.

Initially sent to No. 3 General Hospital at Rouen, Grayson transferred to the Q.A.I.M.N.S. Reserve on 8 November 1914 and was later accepted for the regular service as Staff Nurse in June 1916. Awarded the A.R.R.C. on 1 January 1918, she received her decoration at an investiture held at Buckingham Palace on 11 September 1918. Raised Sister, she continued to serve in France until the Armistice, latterly at No. 47 General Hospital. Sent to Hong Kong, Aldershot and York, Grayson finally resigned her appointment with effect from 4 July 1924. She returned to nursing during the Second World War and was awarded the R.R.C. as an Assistant Matron. She died on 16 April 1963.

Sold with the recipient’s Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. cape badge by J. R. Gaunt, London; Badge of the London Hospital, white metal and enamel, engraved to reverse ‘Dora G. Grayson May 1910-July 1912, July 1914’ by J. Pinches, London; General Nursing Council Registration Badge, silver, engraved to reverse ‘D. G. Grayson S.R.N. 23300 19.10.23.’ by Thomas Fattorini.