Royal Red Cross first class/ Southampton Incorporation Infirmary silver medal, Edith Maud Lyle

A pair of awards to a nurse for her training at Southampton Incorporation Infirmary and her later Army Nursing Service.
Edith Maud Lyle was born in Barnstaple on 18.9.1879 and later moved to Salisbury before undertaking her Nurse training at Southampton Incorporation Infirmary, the newly opened workhouse Infirmary in the suburb of Shirley on the then edge of Southampton,from 1905 to 1908.
The large cased medal in enamelled silver has a central shield with a red Geneva cross above it and a laurel wreath below. The shield is halved with the red and white roses of Hampshire to the left and a motif of stars and an anchor to the right.
The reverse features a seated classical figure offering a Palm frond and the inscription E M Lyle March 1908. The edge has Shirley Warren Training School for Nurses.Silver hallmarks for S B &S Ltd Birmingham 1907(S Blankensee & Son Ltd)
A heavy piece weighing at 96 grams 52mm wide, in its own fitted case.
The accompanying medal is a Royal Red Cross first class award in its own original fitted Garrard case. Mounted on a ladies bow suspension, in excellent condition although fixing has lost its pin and two small safety pins appear to have been used instead! Miss Lyle was awarded the ARRC first in June 1917 and again on 3.6.1919 which meant that the two awards were upgraded to a first class award. Her Army Nursing Records are available at the National Records office and show a full career from 1909 through to the Second World War including France, Egypt and Germany .She served both as Acting Matron and later Matron often in the Military Families Service.
This lady was also awarded the War medal and Victory medal but both are absent.
She died in 1965.

Code: 54806