The Royal Red Cross and Mons Star medal group awarded to Bea...

Hammer

£2,600

The Royal Red Cross and Mons Star medal group awarded to Beatrice Jane Tanner (1879-1966) of the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Nursing Service, together with her wartime diary, gold identity bracelet and associated badges. 

1. The Royal Red Cross - First Class (1919 New Year’s Honours) in its Garrard & Co case.

2. 1914 Star (MISS. B.J. TANNER Q.A.I.M.N.S.R.), the British War and Victory Medals (SISTER B.J. TANNER), and the Defence Medal. The four mounted-for-wear and in a J.R. Gaunt case. The miniatures of all five of the above, in their J.R. Gaunt box. Complete with ribbon bars and the silver insignia of the Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. (cape badge) by Carrington & Co.

3. The 1914-1916 diary, in two parts: transcripts and original. The 14-page typewritten transcript begins on the day war was declared, ‘Aug 4th - I received a letter telling me to hold myself in readiness to be called up at any minute.’ (Twelve days later she was in France.)  It ends on March 15 1915 ‘The Canadian sisters came here to help each morning and evening until their own hospital is ready’. Pages 1-14 can be viewed at the Royal College of Nursing website: www.rcn.org.uk/servicescrapbooks/beatrice-tanner/transcript . The original diary - 9 leaves in pencil recording March 19th 1915 to October 20th 1916. Also a two-leaf brief memorandum of 1918-1920 in ink..

4. The recipient’s 9-carat gold identity bracelet engraved ‘Beatrice Tanner - Catsfield Place, Battle’ and the reverse ‘EKAB 167-3’. The eight badges comprise: her two dog-tags; silver General Nursing Council for England and Wales (engraved B. J. Tanner 57654); St. John Ambulance Association (engraved Beatrice Tanner 57654); honorary life membership of the British Red Cross (some enamel away); W.V.S. Civil Defence; Women’s Land Army; British Legion.