Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War R.R.C. group of five to Superintending Sister Edith Hope, Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service, who received the Norwegian Freedom Medal in 1947, believed to be the only award of its kind to her service

Royal Red Cross, 1st Class (R.R.C.), G.VI.R. 1st issue, silver-gilt, gold and enamel, reverse dated ‘1943’, on lady’s bow riband; Victory Medal 1914-19 (N.Sister E. Hope. Q.A.R.N.N.S.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Norway, Kingdom, King Haakon VII Freedom Medal 1939-45, bronze, unnamed as issued, very fine and better (5) £400-£500

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

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R.R.C. London Gazette 2 June 1943:
‘For zeal and wholehearted devotion to duty in the Royal Naval Sick Quarters at Skegness since the beginning of the War.’

Edith Hope was born on 27 July 1880 and qualified as a nurse at St. Thomas’s Hospital in London. She joined Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service as Probationary Nursing Sister on 1 November 1913, serving at Haslar before her posting to the Hospital Ship Drina on 14 August 1914. Returning home in February 1915, she spent much of the remainder of the War at Shotley and was later awarded the A.R.R.C. in the London Gazette of 1 March 1920.

Remaining in service, Hope spent much of the 1920s in Malta, Plymouth and Dartmouth, taking charge of the sick bay at the latter on 21 September 1928. She was later one of 10 retired nurses offered re-employment by the Q.A.R.N.N.S. in 1939, appointed to the role of acting Superintending Sister in charge of the newly opened Royal Naval Auxiliary Hospital in Newton Abbott, Devon. After a short period at Plymouth, Hope was later posted to the Sick Quarters at Skegness on 24 October 1940. She remained there for the rest of the war and was awarded the R.R.C. in 1943. Her efforts were further recognised by the Norwegian Government in the London Gazette of 26 August 1947, the award being for services to the Norwegian Navy at H.M.S. Royal Arthur - the Royal Navy shore establishment at Skegness.

Sold with two original typed letters of congratulation for the A.R.R.C. and R.R.C.