Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A poignant ‘Casualty’ British War Medal awarded to Matron Martha S. Farley, Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve, late Army Nursing Service Reserve, who received the R.R.C. from the hands of King George V but died of illness a short while later

British War Medal 1914-20 (Matron M. S. Farley.) re-pinned with suspension loose, multiple edge nicks, good fine to nearly very fine £70-£90

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Norman Gooding Collection.

View
Collection

R.R.C. London Gazette 24 October 1917.

Martha Sabina Farley was born in Drogheda, Ireland, on 24 June 1872. Educated in Drogheda and Dublin, she served as a Nursing Sister during the Boer War and is recorded in 1906 with the Army Nursing Service Reserve in Bloemfontein. Transferred to the Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. on 13 July 1916, she served as Matron at Fermoy Military Hospital and was later decorated with the R.R.C. at an investiture held at Buckingham Palace on 21 November 1917. A few months later she contracted an illness whilst on active service. Sent to Adelaide Hospital, she died on 1 June 1918 and was buried in the Mount Jerome Cemetery in Dublin. Her effects were later sent to her sister in West Montreal, Canada.

Sold with the recipient’s original silver Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. cape badge, hallmarked Birmingham 1915.