The Collection of Medals to the Medical Services formed by Colonel D.G.B. Riddick

A Great War Royal Red Cross and Kaisar-i-Hind group of five to Matron M. L. Harris, Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service

Royal Red Cross, 1st class (R.R.C.), G.V.R., silver-gilt, gold and enamel; Kaisar-i-Hind, G.V.R., 2nd Class, 2nd type, silver, complete with top bar; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (Nursing Sister); King’s South Africa 1901-02, no clasp (Nursing Sister); British War Medal 1914-20 (A. Matron), good very fine (5) £750-850

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to the Medical Services formed by Colonel D.G.B. Riddick.

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Ex D.N.W. 5 November 1991, lot 306 (when sold with a Q.A.I.M.N.S. Medal).

Mary Louise Harris trained at the Royal Free Hospital and enrolled in the Princess Christian's Army Nursing Service Reserve as No. 23 on 30 June 1899. She served in South Africa at No. 2 General Hospital at Pretoria, No. 3 General Hospital at Kroonstadt and at No. 8 General Hospital at Bloemfontein. She was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette, 10 September 1901) and awarded the Queen's and King's Medals without clasps. In July, 1903 she was selected for Q.A.I.M.N.S. in the rank of Staff Nurse and was promoted Sister on 10 November 1904. During the 1914-18 War she was acting Matron throughout and served overseas in Malta, arriving there on 7 May 1915. She was therefore entitled to the British War Medal only. She was awarded the R.R.C. (1st Class) in the London Gazette dated 23 February 1917, being shown as Acting Matron, Military Hospital, Felixstowe. She was promoted Matron on 8 April, 1922 and retired from the service in the following year. The award of the K.I.H. has not been confirmed.