Miss May Evans MBE, ARRC, MiD, Rafidain 5th Class

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

I am currently researching the awards of my great great aunt May Evans (1884-1980) but am having difficulty in locating her ARRC (Associate Royal Red Cross) award notification. To date I have the following:

MBE LG 2 January 1933 - Miss May Evans, Senior Nursing Sister, Nursing Home, Baghdad, Iraq (no mention of ARRC).

Iraq Order of Rafidain 5th Class Civil LG 12 March 1937 - Miss May Evans MBE ARRC 'valuable services rendered by her as Senior Nursing Sister in the Iraqi Health Service'.

MiD LG 23 September 1943 Mrs May Chadwick MBE 'in recognition of distinguished services in Persia-Iraq' (no mention of ARRC). 

May married in Baghdad in 1939 Major Charles Rowlad Chadwick, sometime Inspector General of the Iraqi Veterinary Services, also OBE later CBE and Rafidain 4th Class.

I do not believe she held any military rank in Iraq during WW2 and thus her MiD if worn would not have been on a medal ribbon.

Thank you for any assitance provided.

owain

 

 

[Aberdeen Medals]

Owain,

Salaam alaikum!

I looked up Haywards (nd) 'Army Honours & Awards' (a reprint of the Supplement to the Army List , April 1920), that contains numerous list of serving / living award holders, including RRC / ARRC recipients, and found below under the nominal roll of ARRC recipients;

- Evans, Miss M (Staff Nurse, Q.A.I.M.N.S.R.) The War of 1914-19, 3 June 1916

The date refers to the LG publication issue date

Note: There are only 3 x Evans with forename beginning with letter M, the above is the only one shown as forename initial only - the other M's were a Madge & a Mella!

As of writing, I do not know if the above Miss 'M' Evans is your one or not, but if not, then I suggest that your May Evans may have received her ARRC for service post 1920?

Good luck with the research.

Yours aye,

Mark

 

 

[oamotme]

Mark, Many thanks indeed. I will try and track down the post WW1 awards and if she is not there then I suspect she is the 3 June 1916 award and see if I can track down a medal card - this would also men that she is entitled to a War & Victory too. I'll keep everyone posted. Again thank you. Owain

[Aberdeen Medals]

Owain,

I had a look at the Great War Medal rolls, and the Staff Nurse 'M'. Evans (A.R.R.C. 1916), mentioned above is confirmed as serving with the Territorial Force Nursing Service, and being entitled to and receiving a Great War cam 'Pair' of British War Medal & Interallied Victory Medal, which were issued/sent to her on 15 July 1922 (ref WO 329/2298).

Note: I also did an 'exact' search for any Medal Index Card for M Evans - of the over 200 returned, none were to the TFNS!

Good luck.

Mark

 

[oamotme]

Mark,

Again thank you for your invaluable assitance which is much appreciated. Further to concluding research I hope to recreate her group and if indeed she did get a WW1 War & Victory I will have to keep my eyes open for some unnamed issues.

As ever,

Owain

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

Further to the above correspondence my thanks to Mark. I detail below research to date on my great-aunt:

May (Mary) was born at Gwernallt, Chwilog, Carnarvonshire, educated at the County School, Pwllheli and trained at West Derby Union Infirmary 1907-1911. Date of joining for service 27 January 1915 - posted to King George V Hospital Dublin and then to India 7 December 1916.

 

• War Office, 3^rd June, 1916.

  The undermentioned Ladies are awarded the decoration of the Royal Red Cross, in recognition of their valuable services in connection with the War: Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service, Reserve - Royal Red Cross, 2^nd Class - Staff Nurse Miss M. Evans. Supplement to the London Gazette, 3 June, 1916, page 5601. (May's award appears to be for service at the King George V Hospital in Dublin.)

   

  Arrived Mesopotamia 22 August 1917 – initially based in Basra No.3 British General Hospital and posted to Officers Hospital Baghdad 24 November 1918, From 12 February 1919 to 2 February 1920 she was posted to 23 British Stationary Hospital Baghdad. Her Confidential Report noted, “Miss May Evans has worked in the hospital since February 1919. She is an excellent surgical and medical nurse, and a very good ward manager. She has had charge of the theatre for the last seven months and has given every satisfaction. Miss Evans is capable, punctual good tempered and energetic.”– on departure to U.K. work and conduct noted as, “Very Good”. Arrived in the U.K. from Mesopotamia 1 April 1920. Reported her arrival in person – is desirous of renewing her contract for a further period of service. “Sister M. Evans Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. arrived here for duty on 8.5.20 for the past five months her work has been most satisfactory. I can recommend her for further service in a Military Hospital.” Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich, 29 October, 1920.

   

  The Great War Medal rolls confirm that Staff Nurse M. Evans, was serving with the Territorial Force Nursing Service, and was entitled to and received the British War and Victory Medals, which were issued or sent to her on 15 July 1922 (ref WO 329/2298).

   

• St. James’s Palace S.W.1., 2^nd January, 1933.

  The King has been graciously pleased to give orders for the following promotions in, and appointments to, the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire :- To be Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order - Miss May Evans, Senior Nursing Sister, Nursing Home, Baghdad, Iraq. Supplement to the London Gazette, 2 January, 1933, page 12.

   

• Whitehall, March 10, 1937.

  The King has been pleased to give and grant unto Miss May Evans, MBE, ARRC, His Majesty’s Royal Licence and authority to wear the insignia of the Fifth Class (Civil Division) of the Order of Al Rafidain, which Decoration has been conferred upon her by His Majesty the King of Iraq in recognition of valuable services rendered by her as Senior Nursing Sister in the Iraqi Health Service. The London Gazette, 12 March, 1937, page 1640.

   

• Married Major (Retired) Charles Rowland Chadwick, OBE, RAVC, at the British Consulate, Baghdad on 14 September 1939 - later CBE - entitled to War, Victory, TFWM, GSM clasp "Iraq" , Order of Rafidain, 4th Class Civil.

•  

• War Office, 23^rd September, 1943.

  The King has been graciously pleased to approve that the following be Mentioned in recognition of distinguished services in Persia-Iraq : - Mrs May Chadwick M.B.E. Supplement to the London Gazette, 23 September, 1943, page 4232.

   

My query/next step is to try and ascertain whether there is a record or any detail concerning her  MiD - as it is a stand alone entry in the LG, it gives me hope that there might be, but if so where do I look for such a record? Also would the receipt of such an honour automatically qualify her for the 1939-45 War Medal?  She would have been 59 years of age (born 1884)  when the award was gazetted.

With thanks,

Owain

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

I have now been able to source replacements of all of May Evans's awards, viz, MBE, ARRC, War & Victory, WW2 MiID and a Rafidain 5th Class. The War and Victory are un-named - probably erased, and I wish to have May's name added. Can anyone suggest the correct format for naming?

MISS M. EVANS STAFF NURSE Q.A.I.M.N.S.R.

or

STAFF NURSE M.EVANS Q.A.I.M.N.S.R.

or

S/NURSE M.EVANS Q.A.I.M.N.S.R.

or

S.NURSE M.EVANS

From a study of such medals sold by DNW it would appear that Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. only appears on issues of the 1914-15 Star and thus the War & Victory Medals are named without unit so the latter naming S.NURSE M.EVANS would appear to be appropriate.

I have yet to track down any documentation concerning her 1943 LG MiD but as I am now back in UK a trip to the PRO in Kew will be necessary.

Kind regards,

Owain

 

 

 

[Noor]

Staff Nurse Miss M. Evans.Supplement to the London Gazette, 3 June, 1916, page 5601. (May's award appe ars to be for service at the King George V Hospital in Dublin.)

I am confident that her Red Cross award was related to her service in Dublin during the Easter Rising.

[oamotme]

Noor, A very useful comment for which many thanks. Owain

[paul wood]

Well done mark i was looking post 1920 ww1 didnt occur to me.

Paul 

[peter monahan]

Great sleuthing, Noor!  That makes an already interesting group even more intriguing! 

I wonder whether an investigation of the genealogy web sites might yield information on her relations/descendants.  A very common name, sadly, but using her birthplace as a distinguishing fact, and her 'residence' in Dublin and the East might winkle out a few references.  Obviously, a surviving descendant, even in a collateral branch, with some information on Sister Evans, would be the ideal outcome.

 

[paul wood]

Owain any idea what happenned to her original medals? With another branch of the family?

Paul

[922F]

Great cooperation by all concerned leading to these detailed findings.    Owain, your great great aunt surely was quite a lady!  Have you an image of her?

[oamotme]

Paul & Co,

My Great Aunt & Great Uncle retired in 1958 (no children) and sadly as they left the Revolution overthrowing the Monarchy happened and according to my late Grandfather all of their personal effects were looted and thus the medals disappeared. I attach a picture of them on holiday in Nice in the 1960's - Charles died in 1970 and May in 1978. 

Regards,

Owain

 

Edited July 8, 2019 by oamotme

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

Success - a typed recommendation from the Medical Directorate, GHQ, PAIFORCE:

WO-373-88 (Page 50)

Unit - Civilian

Rank & Name - Mrs May Chadwick, MBE (in free hand) (Alwiyah Baghdad)

This lady who is a retired Matron of considerable experience, volunteered her services in September 1941 and has continued to give voluntary help in 24 Combined General Hospital since that date.

She has shown untiring energy and resourcefulness, which have been responsible for considerable improvement in the comfort of hospital patients and the efficiency of the Nursing Staff under her administration.

Honour or Award - MBE (crossed out and Mention in freehand)

GJ Gill, Major-General, Director of Medical Service PAIFORCE

Henry Maitland Wilson, General, Commander in Chief, Persia-Iraq Force (*Known as 'Jumbo' Wilson)

March 1943

It would appear that the recommendation was for an MBE but as she was already had this honour (LG 2 January 1933), the recommendation was changed (?) and she was awarded a Mention - LG 23 September 1943. A scarce award to a civilian?? As she is noted a 'civilian', I take this as confirmation (unless someone knows better) that she had no entitlement for a 1939-45 War Medal from which ribbon she could wear the 'Mention'.

Regards,

Owain 

[922F]

Excellent news!

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

It appears that for her services May Chadwick was gazetted as MBE  in July 1943, but as she already had on from 1933 - nobody had twigged she already had one - it was cancelled and replaced by the MiD. Indeed the 23 September 1943 notes after her name:

Mrs May Chadwick, M.B.E. (Substituted for the notification which appeared in the London Gazette (No. 36093 dated 16 July 1943.)

Surely this is indeed a scarce if possibly unique occurrence.

Owain

[peter monahan]

I agree that this must be a rare occurrence, particularly to an already rare group - civilians assisting the forces in an unofficial capacity.  'Unique' is a rare bird indeed, but perhaps in this case, within those parameters, deserved.

Congratulations on doing so well with this research, Owain!  Please do post a photo of the reconstructed group if/when that is completed.  Thanks.

Peter

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

At long last I am pleased to post pictures of my Great-Great Aunt's awards - collected today. l  tried initially to have the MiD mounted above the rack of 5 but this proved to be too difficult. Then it was between the Victory Medal and the Rafidain, but whilst technically correct, it looked very, very strange and ungainly so finally decided upon having it at the end for display purposes.

Kind regards,

Owain

[922F]

Congratulations on a job well done!  

[paddywhack]

Fantastic group but if you got a MID weren't you entitled to a 1939 45 star as well? I wonder as well if she wasn't entitled to a war medal or a defence medal to?

[oamotme]

Hi, As noted May was a retired civilian and as such was awarded her 'second' MBE - when it was realised that this had been awarded in error it was rescinded and she was awarded an MiD in lieu. At no time during WW2 was she a serving member of HM Forces and thus was not entitled to any WW2 medals. I believe the terms of award of a MiD were reviewed after the war and were thereafter limited to acts of gallantry. Regards, Owain