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Auction: 24113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 835

The Archive of Sister E. M. Thomas, Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service, who saw overseas service during the Second World War as part of the Middle East Forces and Central Mediterranean Forces

Comprising a variety of photographs and ephemera, overall very fine (Lot)

Elvira M. Thomas was originally from Ponyclun, Wales and prior to the Second World War was a nurse based at Cardiff Royal Infirmary. She served with the Q.A.I.M.N.S. during the Second World War and saw service in North Africa and Italy. She would have been entitled to a 1939-1945 Star, Africa Star, Italy Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45.

The archive comprises the following:

(i)
A notebook (1st) written by her shows her leaving from Bangor, Northern Ireland on 11 January 1941 and arriving in Freetown, Sierra Leone on 25 January 1941 and carried on to Durban finally arriving in Port Suez on 8 March 1941. Further correspondence showed her serving at 63rd General Hospital, Middle East Forces and then with 65th General Hospital as part of the Central Mediterranean Force. A further notebook (2nd) starts on 1 January 1944 with her based at Naples

(ii)
Two Prisoner of War letters addressed to her at British Red Cross Society, Cairo, from a Captain D. C. Williams, South Wales Borders who was a Prisoner at Oflag 79, Thomas lived at Ponyclun before the war and she sent him a copy of 'The Far Cry' (Souvenir Magazine) from the Middle East

(iii)
Movement Order dated 17 May 1945 allowing her to return to the U.K. on the grounds of long service overseas (PYTHON) to reach Naples

(iv)
National Registration Identity Card, Medical Cards (3)

(v)
An assortment of photographs taken on active service

(vi)
Assorted tourist postcards, booklets and minor ephemera of wartime and post-war date etc

(vii)
A pair of nurses epaulettes

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Sold for
£70

Starting price
£40