Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 20002 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Space Exploration
Lot: 573

An R.R.C. 1st Class group of four awarded to Sister F. M. Rice, Territorial Force Nursing Service, later attached Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service, a qualified nurse from a privileged background, who served with distinction from the very earliest days of the Great War

Royal Red Cross, 1st Class (R.R.C.), G.V.R., silver-gilt, gold and enamel, mounted upon ladies bow riband; 1914 Star (Miss F. M. Rice. T.F.N.S.); British War and Victory Medals with M.I.D. oak leaves (Sister F. M. Rice.), good very fine (4)

R.R.C. 1st Class London Gazette 9 February 1918.

Frances Maud Rice was born on 2 December 1873 at Edinburgh, the third daughter of nine children to Cecil Rice and Frances Anne Napier. Rather than growing up in Scotland, she spent her early years living in Devon at Quarry House, Northam. Interestingly, the 1881 Census for England notes Frances and her siblings being attended to by no less than seven servants, her brother George - a 13 year-old scholar - being noted as Head of the House.
According to Medals: The Researcher's Guide by William Spencer, little is known of Frances prior to the outbreak of the Great War other than she held the qualifications of a nurse. She did however pass the Examination of the Central Midwives Board, held in London on 23 October 1911, The Midwife (The British Journal of Nursing Supplement) noting her employment at that time at the City of London Lying-in Hospital.
Attesting for the Territorial Force Nursing Service at the outbreak of hostilities, Frances served in France with the British Expeditionary Force from 26 September 1914 (MIC, refers), and was posted to No. 5 General Hospital. Mentioned in Despatches for her work (London Gazette 1 January 1916, refers), she was invalided home in September 1916 suffering from a septic infection to her thumb. After a period of convalescence, she returned to France and served from November 1916 at No. 29 Casualty Clearing Station whilst attached to the Q.A.I.M.N.S. It was here that she formed part of the casualty evacuation chain, the third point of call from the Aid Posts and Field Ambulances. Charged with treating a man sufficiently for his return to duty, or, in most cases, to enable him to be evacuated to a Base Hospital, Frances would have witnessed long hours and a constant flow of casualties. Based at Gezaincourt on the Somme, later Grevillers and Wavrans, No. 29 C.C.S. would likely have borne witness to the full picture of the Western Front with experienced nurses such as Frances at the forefront of care for wounded and shell-shocked soldiers.

For her devotion to duty Rice was decorated by King George V at Buckingham Palace in February 1918. She was photographed leaving the investiture, the image being published in The Nursing Times on 16 February 1918. Returning to service across the English Channel, she witnessed further nursing duties at the Southern Hospital in Paris before returning home to England on Duty on 15 March 1919. Frances Maud Rice died at Leatherhead in Surrey on 2 July 1941; sold with original silver Territorial Army Nursing Service breast badge with wearing pin, unnamed as issued, with copied MIC and service record, which notes a variety of postings to Casualty Clearing Stations, No. 20 General Hospital, and service at Abbeville.


Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£1,100

Starting price
£750