TOPIC:

Hello I have a Princess Christian's Army Nursing Service Reserve PCANSR badge number 873. I believe it belonged to Nursing Sister G Roberts from Australia. She was issued with a QSA & KSA. Does anyone know whether a roll or issuing list for the PCANSR exists that indicates who the badge was issued to. The badge is 2 inches or 51mm in diameter appears to be made of silver but has no id or hallmarks other than the number. Any information about these badges would be most appreciated, particularly on what basis nurses could join up from Australia?

The book; "Australia's Boer War" by Craig Wilcox has a fair bit of info on Aust. Nurses. They were sent after Black Week after Colonial offers were accepted by the WO on the understanding that they would not care for the regulars (who already had trained Army nurses from the UniK). Between 1/1900 and 3/1900, 40 left Aust (13 from NSW). Later, several dozen left for SA at their own expense.
Regretfully, I have no info on badge numbers.
Regards
IL.

See; britisharmynurses.com/wiki/index.php?tit...:IframePage/Database

Hiya,

I have the list of badges 1-820 so I cannot tell you who 873 belongs to. I can tell you that G Roberst wasn't in the 1-820 so it might have been her!

Cheers
Keiron


Lt Col (Retd) Dr Keiron Spires QVRM TD
Chair QARANC Association Heritage Committee
| E: keiron@britsharmynurses.com | @army_nurses | britisharmynurses.com

So close yet so far. The badge came with her QSA & KSA and had never been on the open market. Details about her are illusive. She was definitely mentioned in Kitcheners last despatch and I know which hospitals she served in from the medal rolls. All anecdotal evidence points to her coming from Tasmania. The medals were in the effects of a long serving WWI & WW2 professional, he himself coming from Tasmania.

The badge itself is a magnificent somewhat nostalgic example of Victorian Gothic similar to the famous 1847 Gothic crown.

Many thanks for responding. Victor Gordon - Boer war medal collector. Born SA now residient in NSW . Oz

Victor
You probably are aware of this, BUT ..... The site of the National Boer War Memorial Assoc. has Nurse Gertrude Roberts listed as being "in British Service" and "believed to be Australian but not clear from which State".
Regards
IL.