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Auction: 22001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 341

1914-15 Star (Matron. M. Banfield. R.R.C.), good very fine

[R.R.C.] London Gazette 26 February 1917

Emma Maud Banfield was born in 21 December 1865 at Swansea, Glamorgan, the daughter of James Banfield of Devon Terrace, Swansea. Noted on the 1891 census as training to be a nurse at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London she later travelled to America becoming Superintendent of the Philadelphia Polytechnic Hospital from 1895-1910. In this post she had number of articles published and was prominent in her championing of the idea that nurses should sit upon the Board of Health. Returning to Britain on the outbreak of war she volunteered for the British Red Cross and entered the war in France in December 1914.

Promoted Matron in charge of the French Hospital Temporaire d’Arc-en-Barrois, she was supervising of a particularly artistic staff with writers, poets and artists all working here including Laurence Binyon. Transferring to Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve in March 1915 she was at this stage over fifty and so altered her date of birth to 21 December 1865. Posted as Matron of the Lord Derby War Hospital in Warrington and while working here was personally decorated with the Royal Red Cross by King George V.

With the end of the war she was made Matron of the No.3 Stationary War Hospital at Rouen and receiving a ‘mention’ in Sir Douglas Haig’s despatch of 16 March 1919 for her services. Forced to give up her post in May 1919 due to ill health she was demobilised. Marrying Arthur Richmond Atkinson, a prominent lawyer from New Plymouth, New Zealand she lived in that country until her death on 22 September 1931, sold together with copied research including a typed biography of the recipient and her husband, London Gazette entries and information on the Hospital Temporaire d’Arc-en-Barrois.

Further entitled to the Royal Red Cross (1st Class), 1914-15 Star and British War and Victory Medals.

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Sold for
£120

Starting price
£30