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Auction: 23003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 278

A Boer War Royal Red Cross and Salonika M.I.D. group of six to Nursing Sister E. M. Whiteman, Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve

Royal Red Cross, V.R. (R.R.C.), silver-gilt and enamel; Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (Nursing Sister E. M. Whiteman), officially re-impressed naming; King's South Africa 1901-02, no clasp (Nursing Sister E. M. Whiteman.); 1914 Star (Miss E. M. Whiteman. Q.A.I.M.N.S.R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Sister E. M. Whiteman.), very fine (6)

R.R.C. London Gazette 31 October 1902.

M.I.D. London Gazette 11 June 1918.

Emily Margaret Whiteman was born at Lamport, Northamptonshire on 22 January 1869, the daughter of William and Emma Whiteman. Training as a nurse at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, Rochester, Kent between 1890-94, she had been appointed Head Nurse on a Ward by the end of her time there. Following this she served a Sister at Yarmouth from 1894 before transferring to the Princess Christian's Army Nursing Service Reserve, based at Windsor in 1896.

With the outbreak of the Second Boer War, Whiteman was mobilised for service and arrived in South Africa on 4 November 1899. She was posted to No. 3 General Hospital at Kroondstat before joining No. 12 Hospital, also based at Kroonstat. Taking some leave, she returned to South Africa on 22 February 1902 and was later posted to St Helena from 27 May 1902. Finally she returned to Britain for leave on 9 October 1902, where she terminatined her engagement on 9 November 1902. Whiteman was awarded a gratuity of £60-5-6 on the cessation of employment, and was invested with the Royal Red Cross on 18 November 1902.

Re-called for duty on 12 August 1914 at Chatham, she served on the Western Front from 17 August 1914. Posted to No. 6 General Hospital she served here until 10 November 1915, when she returned to Britain. Leaving Liverpool on 2 December 1915 for Salonika, via Alexandria, Whiteman arrived on 1 February 1916. Served there for much of the war she embarked on 23 May 1918 and returned to Britain, via Taranto, arriving on 2 June 1918. Here she was granted five weeks leave before joining a Home Station at Colchester. There, with the war over, she applied for a transfer to the Army Occupation in Germany, this was denied on 14 June 1919 and Whiteman was demobilized on 31 July 1919. She was removed from the Permanent Reserve Roll as a result of attaining the age limit on 19 January 1925, with her final report stating:

'A very good conscientous nurse, much liked by all. Conduct excellent.'

Whiteman died in Peterborough in 1953.


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Sold for
£2,800

Starting price
£2400