Historical information

Medals belonged to Senior Nurse Bessie Shircliffe Johnson who served with the Queen Alexandria's Imperial Military Nursing Staff Reserve during WWI. She served in England, Egypt and Greece.

Physical description

Three World War One medals mounted on a badge pin together. The 1914-1915 Star a bronze four pointed star with crown at top with a watered ribbon of red merging into white which merges into blue. The 1914-1915 Star reverse is flat and plain; stamped with recipient’s details. The British War Medal 1914-1918 shows a bareheaded effigy of King George V facing left, ribbon is orange with borders in dark blue, black and white. The British War Medal 1914-1918 reverse shows Saint George naked on horseback and armed with a short sword, the horse tramples on the Prussian eagle shield and the emblems of death, a skull and cross-bones. The Victory Medal, 1914-1919 is bronze with a winged figure of Victory on the front, the ribbon has a 2 rainbow design, with the violet from each rainbow on the outside edges moving through to a central red stripe where both rainbows meet. The reverse of the Victory Medal, 1914-1919 is bronze has the words The Great War For Civilisation surrounded by a laurel wreath. The name of the recipient is engraved along the bottom edge of both the British War medal and the Victory medal. There is also a miniature replica pair of the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Inscriptions & markings

'S/NURSE. / B. S. JOHNSON. / A.N.S. A.I.F.' [Engraved on reverse of the 1914-1915 Star]
'SISTER B S. JOHNSON A.I.F.' [Engraved on bottom edge of the British War Medal 1914-1918]
'SISTER. B.S.JOHNSON A.I.F.' [Engraved on bottom edge of the Victory Medal, 1914-1919]