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Auction: 22001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 332

A rare and exciting 'Great Serbian Retreat', Great War group of seven awarded to Sister G. M. Tew, Scottish Women's Hospital, who served in Serbia from April 1915 dealing with the Typhus epidemic and was caught up in the retreat with the Northern Column, continuing to save lives throughout the appalling conditions of the withdrawal

British War and Victory Medals (G.M. Tew.); Serbia, Kingdom, Cross of Charity, Large Medallion issue; Commemorative Medal for Loyalty, Bronze issue; Cross of Charity, small medallion issue; Commemorative Medal for the Great War 1914-1918; Commemorative Cross for the Serbo-Bulgarian War 1913, the first four mounted as worn, in Spink & Son case, slightly polished and worn, overall very fine (7)

Gertrude Mary Tew was born at Cheadle, Staffordshire on 14 March 1889, the daughter of John and Sarah Tew of Millhouse Farm, Cheadle. Pursuing a medical career early in her life Tew was working as a Mental Nurse at Camberwell House Asylum, Camberwell in 1911, volunteering early in the war she joined the Scottish Women’s Hospitals in April 1915 and was posted to Serbia. Here she joined the new Typhus hospital at Mladenovac to confront the resurgence of the disease which had previously been considered under control in the country. The nurses arrived here in July 1915 under Dr Beatrice McGregor the new Chief Medical Officer. The hospital became popular quickly after they opened a dispensary for the local women and children however in October 1915 a massive offensive from the combined German and Austro-Hungarian armies began. The Hospital was evacuated on 12 October with the nurses entraining for Kraguievac where they opened an emergency casualty clearing station. Forced to withdraw again by the entrance of Bulgaria into the war they opened a new station at Kraljevo.

Choosing to join the Serbian Army on its Great Retreat to the Adriatic Sea rather than surrendering the invading forces the nurses of the Scottish Women’s Hospital joined the Northern Column on 5 November 1915. They faced appalling conditions during the withdrawal with soldiers and civilians falling from cold, hunger and exhaustion. One nurse, Caroline Toughill was herself killed in the Ibar Valley, fortunately for Tew she made it over the mountains with the rest of her unit. Later appointed a Queen’s Nurse on 1 January 1916 she served as a nurse with the French Red Cross. Tew died in October 1973 at Bournemouth; sold together with copied research including a typed biography, an extract from The British Journal of Nursing, M.I.C. and list of foreign awards to the Scottish Women’s Hospital with the recipient’s name highlighted.

The award of the Commemorative Cross for the Serbo-Bulgarian War 1913 is unconfirmed.

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Sold for
£2,100

Starting price
£180