A Fine Collection of Medals to Female Medics

Five: Dr. Helen Hanson, Auxiliary Hospital Unit, Antwerp

1914 Star, with clasp (Dr. Helen Hanson, Aux. Hosp. Unit, Antwerp); British War and Victory Medals (H. B. Hanson); Serbia, Kingdom, Order of St. Sava, Fourth Class badge, silver-gilt and enamel, Bishop with red robes; Red Cross Decoration, silver and enamel, very fine, rare (5) £1,000-£1,400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Medals to Female Medics.

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Tony Sabell Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, December 2012.

Helen Hanson was born in 1874. She graduated M.B. & L.S.A. in 1901 and received her M.D. from the University of London in 1904 having trained at the London School of Medicine for Women (The Royal Free Hospital). For three years she served as Medical Officer to the Kinnaird Memorial Hospital at Lucknow, India. In 1911 she was awarded the Diploma in Public Health of Oxford University and was appointed Assistant School Medical Officer to London County Council.

Shortly after the outbreak of war Dr Hanson went to Belgium with the St. John Unit forming the Auxiliary Hospital at Antwerp commanded by Mrs St. Clair Stobart. The unit served during the siege of Antwerp and were amongst the last civilians to leave before the city was occupied by the Germans. The unit then operated in a chateau at Cherbourg until April 1915 when it transferred to Serbia. After serving there for 6 months, she returned to London and early in 1916 addressed the Royal Society of Arts on her experiences in Serbia as a Red Cross worker. During that time she served for 6 weeks at the Scottish Women’s Hospital Unit at Kraguijevatz.

Later Dr Hanson served with the R.A.M.C. in Malta and Salonika, holding the honorary rank of Captain. After the war she served with the Black Sea Expeditionary Force at Constantinople, returning to London in 1920 to work once more for the L.C.C. On 6 July 1926 she was killed in a motor accident. She was buried at Finchley. A Requiem Service was held for her at St. Martin-in-the-Fields on 20 July 1926.