Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Miss Irene C. Mitchell, British Red Cross Society, who drove a mobile dispensary to remote villages on ‘errands of mercy’

Defence Medal; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, G.VI.R. (Miss. I. C. Mitchell.); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Kenya (Miss I. C. Mitchell. B.R.C.S.); Voluntary Medical Service Medal, silver (Miss Irene C. Mitchell); Malaysia, Federation, Negri Sembilan Meritorious Service Medal, bronze, unnamed as issued, nearly extremely fine (6) £400-£500

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

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Negri Sembilian Meritorious Service Medal (Pingat Jasa Kebaktian), 18 December 1954:

‘Miss I. C. Mitchell came to Malaya in April, 1952, and was posted to Negri Sembilan in August, 1953. As a Field Officer of the British Red Cross Society in Negri Sembilan, Miss Mitchell has also undertaken the work of Secretary. She has trained over 350 young people in First Aid and has regularly visited every part of the State and gone into remote kampongs on errands of mercy.

In addition to all these things, she has been responsible for the establishment of the voluntary detachment of persons who are now full trained in Red Cross work, First Aid and Nursing. No task has been too arduous or too difficult for her to fulfil. She has been highly complimented by the State Director of the British Red Cross Society, Negri Sembilan Branch, as a lady of outstanding ability who has carried out her duties with great cheerfulness and efficiency.

On her departure from the State for England, His Highness the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan has been graciously pleased to award her with the Negri Sembilan Meritorious Service Medal.’

Irene C. Mitchell lived in Balham, London, and took leave of absence as a French and biology teacher at Alvering Secondary School in Wandsworth to spend a year in Malaya as one of 50 volunteers with the British Red Cross. Separated into 25 separate ‘teams’, each consisting of a health and welfare worker, Mitchell found herself in the company of Miss Margaret Hale, a qualified nurse from the Royal Cancer Hospital in London. Moving from village to village in a modified Land Rover nicknamed ‘Horace’, the two ladies spent the next twelve months attempting to win the confidence and support of the local Malay people, many of whom were previously sympathetic to the Communist terrorist insurgents who controlled much of the remote jungle territories.

Sold with the original recommendation for the Negri Sembilan Meritorious Service Medal; the recipient’s British Red Cross Society Medal with Proficiency in Red Cross First Aid top riband bar (016447 I. Mitchell) and British Red Cross Society merit badge ‘13285 I. Mitchell’; a fine photograph of Miss Mitchell and Miss Hale in uniform; and copied research.