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Auction: 20003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 289

A Great War R.R.C. group of five awarded to Principal Matron M. S. Riddell, Territorial Force Nursing Service

Royal Red Cross, 1st Class (R.R.C.), G.V.R., silver-gilt, gold, and enamel, on lady’s bow riband; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Matron M. S. Riddell.); Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19 (Matron M. S. Riddell. T.F.N.S.); Belgium, Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth Medal, red enamel cross type, for services to wounded or invalided soldiers, bronze, together with the recipient's Territorial Force Nursing Service cape Badge, silver, good very fine (6)

R.R.C. 1st Class London Gazette 14 January 1916 (Matron, 2nd London General Hospital).

Queen Elisabeth of Belgium Medal London Gazette 19 August 1921.

Marian Scott Riddell entered St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London in 1901 and was qualified in 1904. Appointed Night Sister at University College Hospital in 1905, she was made Assistant Matron in 1908 and thence Matron of the 50-bed Chelsea Hospital for Women from 1911-14. Mobilised by the Territorial Force Nursing Service in August 1914, she served at home as Matron of the 2nd London General Hospital. That Hospital started with 520 beds and doubled in size soonafter. Having been awarded the R.R.C. for her work at home, Riddell served overseas in France as Matron of the 53rd General Hospital (1040 beds) from April 1917, adding a 'mention' in November 1918 (Service Record, refers). She returned home to the War Office in February 1919 and was appointed Acting Principal Matron at the War Office in August 1919. Throughout her active service, she served under Lieutenant-Colonel E. M. Callender (Medals offered in this Sale, Lot 246), who offered a lengthy and most positive appraisal, ending:

'I have formed a very high opinion of Miss Riddell's intelligence, ability and character during nearly four and a half years association with her, and consider her very well fitted to fill any position of higher rank to which she may be promoted.'

Riddell was appointed Registrar of the General Nursing Council in 1920, being presented with her Belgian Medal of Queen Elisabeth at the Belgian Embassy in February 1921. She retired from the General Nursing Council in 1934 (The British Journal of Nursing, refers) and was presented with a settee ad arm-chair for her retirement. She died at Esher, Surrey on 22 September 1941; sold together with copied research including Service Record, Journal extracts and two group photographs with Riddell identified.

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Sold for
£1,800

Starting price
£900