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Auction: 26002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 119

Three: Senior Nurse H. Crockwell, Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service

1914-15 Star (S' Nurse H. Crockwell. Q.A.I.M.N.S.R.); British War and Victory Medals (S. Nurse H. Crockwell.), very fine (3)

Helen Crockwell was born on 2 April 1881 in Manchester and trained as a nurse at Macclesfield General Hospital between 1900-1903. She subsequently worked as a Staff Nurse at County Hospital, Newport and saw further experience as a Charge Nurse at St Mary's Hospital, Manchester. Crockwell entered into the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (Q.A.I.M.N.S.R.) in January 1915, was posted to Malta in June 1915 and served the year until June 1916.

In letters at this time, she expressed an 'impossibility' to renew her nursing contract having only days before agreed to sign on another year due to 'family affairs'. And yet, by April 1917 Crockwell wrote to the Matron-in-Chief requesting foreign work, only to be told that 'foreign service cannot be offered [to] you as there are many serving who have not yet had this opportunity' (Crockwell's Nurses records, p. 25 refers). In a series of exchanges, Crockwell explained why she initially turned down the foreign work and the two concluded that she was the practice at Home. The paper trail ends with Crockwell asking once more if she can serve in France given the need for more nursing sisters, but this was to seemingly no avail as the Matron-in-Chief's response was not recorded. However, Crockwell's Medal Index Card shows that she appears to have served aboard Hospital Ships until circa 1920.

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Estimate
£200 to £240

Starting price
£160