State: South Australia
Issued on: Return
Dates of presentations: 07/10/1901, 12/07/1902, bef. 26/11/1902
Number issued: 6
Gold medals [Devoted Service Crosses], to:
07/10/1901 presentation
Nursing Sister Amelia Bramleyn STEPHENSON
Presentation made by Lady Tennyson.
12/07/1902 presentation
Nursing Sister Martha Sarah BIDMEAD
Nursing Sister Agnes Maude GLENNIE [Glenie]
Presentation made by Lady Tennyson, on the Military Parade Ground, North Terrace, Adelaide.
Bef. 26/11/1902 presentation
Nursing Sister A.G. COCKS [Cock]
Nursing Sister M. O'SHANAHAN
Nursing Sister Emma Adelaide WATTS
Forwarded to recipients by post.
Type 1 (1901)
Reverse: "Presented to Nursing Sister Stephenson, on behalf of the subscribers to South Australia fund for war nurses, as a memento of devoted service. October 7, 1901".
With suspension bar, inscribed: "1900. South Africa. 1901".
Type 2 (1902)
Inscribed: "Presented to Nursing Sister ________ on behalf of the subscribers to the South Australia fund for war nurses, as a memento of service".
With suspension bar, inscribed: "1901. Africa. 1902".
"The medals are an adaptation of the regulation military cross, with the Union Jack and the South Australian flag forming a bold relief to the design".
"The devoted service cross is a pretty ornament in gold, and over a laurel wreath in the centre the Union Jack and the South Australian flag are placed. The whole is suspended by chains from a plain bar bearing the inscription '1901. Africa. 1902'."
State Library South Australia, B 9065
Adelaide Evening Journal, 08/10/1901
Adelaide Advertiser, 08/10/1901
Adelaide Observer, 12/10/1901
Adelaide Register, 14/07/1902
Adelaide Advertiser, 14/07/1902
Adelaide Express, 26/11/1902
__________________________________________
Adelaide Advertiser, 8th October 1901
On Monday afternoon, Nurse STEPHENSON, who recently returned from the war, was formally welcomed by the members of the nursing fund committee and friends, and was presented with a beautiful gold token in the form of a Maltese Cross, suspended from a brooch. The cross bar of the brooch bore the following words: – “1900, South Africa, 1901”. Crossed flags were arranged on the face of the cross, which bore the following inscription at the back: – “Presented to Nursing Sister Stephenson, on behalf of the subscribers to South Australia’s fund for war nurses as a memento of devoted service. October 7, 1901”.
Adelaide Express, 14th July 1902
MEDALS AND BADGES.
PRESENTED BY LADY TENNYSON.
A large crowd or people assembled on the Military Parade Ground, North Terrace, on Saturday afternoon, when Lady Tennyson handed a number of badges to artillerymen, and also presented gold medals to Nursing Sisters M.S. BIDMEAD and A.M. GLENNIE, who recently, returned from South Africa. The weather was perfect, and a pretty sight was presented as Lord and Lady Tennyson, accompanied by Lord Richard Nevill, drove on to the ground at about 4 o'clock. Colonel G. Ferguson had formed the Artillery Brigade into a hollow square, and the blue uniforms and piped helmets and accoutrements of the troops contrasted with pleasing effect, while, in the centre of the formation the two nurses and various officers, more or less decorated with gold lace, completed the picture. As the viceregal carriage was brought to a standstill, Colonel Ferguson ordered a general salute, after which Lady Tennyson stepped up to the nurses, who were wearing the cloaks which were presented to them when they left South Australia for active service over two years ago, and decorated them with the handsome tokens which the S.A. Nurses' Fund Committee had awarded to them "for devoted service". The medals are an adaptation of the regulation military cross, with the Union Jack and the South Australian flag forming a bold relief to the design. It is interesting to know, that the fund which was raised for the equipment, and dispatch of the nurses was not drawn upon to defray the cost of the medals, the hon. treasurer (Lady Brown) having assured Lady Tennyson that the bank interest and other incidental items covered the cost. Both of the nurses wore their active service medals, and Nurse BIDMEAD was, in addition, decorated with the Red Cross, which the King presented to her in person a few months ago. Several members of the nurses' fund committee were present, including Lady Brown (hon. treasurer), and Miss Esther Boas (hon. secretary).
Adelaide Observer, 19th July 1902
A MILITARY FUNCTION.
AWARDS PRESENTED BY LADY TENNYSON.
A large number of people assembled at the parade ground on Saturday afternoon to witness the presentation by Lady Tennyson of devoted service crosses to Nursing Sisters A.M. GLENIE and M.S. BIDMEAD, and to the field and garrison artillery of the awards gained in the recent examinations. The artillery brigade was drawn up in a hollow square, and His Excellency the Governor and Lady Tennyson, accompanied by Lord Richard Nevill, were received at the carriage by Col. G. Fergusson, officer commanding the brigade, and escorted to a table in the centre, which was covered with a Union Jack. Nurses GLENIE and BIDMEAD, and several members of the committee of the South Australian Nurses’ Fund, were then introduced by Lady Brown to Lady Tennyson, who, after conversing with the nurses in regard to their service on the field, pinned on the decorations by the side of the royal red cross and South African war medal which each was wearing, and shook hands in a friendly manner, wishing them success in their future careers.
Adelaide Express, 26th November 1902
DEVOTED SERVICE CROSSES.
Lady Brown informs us that devoted service crosses have been purchased out of the interest on the War Nurses’ Fund, and sent on behalf of the subscribers to Nurses O’SHANAHAN, WATTS, and COCK, so that all the war nurses are now in possession of such awards for their work on the battlefield. Lady Brown is going away for a holiday, and during her absence Miss Hill will be the acting treasurer. The fund cannot be closed until the final accounts have been received from the War Office.
