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Auction: 23002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 147

A rare Woman's Memorial Scroll issued to Special Military Probationer E. Simpson, Territorial Force Nursing Service

Great War Memorial Scroll, which reads, 'She whom this scroll commemorates...Let those who come after see to it that her name be not forgotten', issued in the name of 'Spec. Mil. Prob. Mrs Elizabeth Simpson Territorial Force Nursing Service' sold together with an archive of photographs relating to the recipient and her daughter, slight light damage and foxing, overall very fine

Note, the recipient is not entitled to a British War or Victory Medal, her Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque is unaccounted for.

Elizabeth Simpson (nee Atkinson) was born at 54 Pumpherston, Mid Calder on 17 October 1886 the son of Henry and Helen Atkinson. Her father worked as a Shale Miner and at least one of her brothers followed him into that profession. Marrying Alexander Simpson- a Shale Miner- at the Institute Hall, Pumpherston on 5 June 1907 she was working as a Draper's Assistant at the time.

Simpson began to work as a Maternity Nurse at some stage before 1911 having trained at the Royal Maternity Hospital, Edinburgh. On the outbreak of the Great War her husband joined the Royal Field Artillery and by 1917 was serving as Battery Sergeant-Major of 35th Divisional Artillery Column in France. Simpson herself applied to join the Territorial Force Nursing Service on 21 January 1917 as a Special Probationer. Accepted two days later she requested to serve in either the Stockport or Manchester Districts.

She reported for duty at 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester on 12 February 1917. Tragically Simpson was reported dead not long later on 10 May 1917 with a letter written to the T.F.N.S. by the Matron of the Hospital stating:

'Mrs Elizabeth Simpson came to us on February 12th, 1917, with a good health certificate. She took ill on March 28th, and died on May 10th, 1917. She had nephritis. Her mother was with her for about a month before she died and we had her husband over from France for a week, and her father came 3 days before she died: her father's address is:-
Mr. H. Atkinson,
Atkinson Cottage,
Uphall,
West Lothian
Mrs Simpson's body was taken home to Scotland for burial'

Simpson was buried at Uphall Cemetery on 14 May 1917. One shameful addendum to the story occurred after her death, when her husband wrote to the War Office requesting he be credited with the amount payable by the War Office to cover funeral expenses as his wife died in military service. The War Office responded that regulations did not provide payment for nurses dying in Britain itself. They did however send her final mess bill which remained outstanding as a result of her death. Battery Sergeant-Major Simpson's reaction is not recorded however a gratuity of £10 was paid in November 1919; sold together with an original scrapbook named to the recipient's daughter dated twelve days after her death and containing pictures and poetry with contributions from many members of the family, notably her father, a Commonwealth War Graves certificate and typed biographical note.

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Estimate
£800 to £1,000

Starting price
£800