Queen Elisabeth Medal - Red Cross version

The Queen Elisabeth Medal ( nl, Koningin Elisabeth Medaille, french: Médaille de la reine Élisabeth) was a Belgian decoration created by

royal decree A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state (such as the president of a republic or a monarch), according to certain procedures (usually established in a constitution). It has the force of law. The particular term used for ...

in October 1916 to recognise exceptional services to Belgium in the relief of the suffering of its citizens during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Its statute was ratified on 14 May 1919. It was awarded to people, both Belgians and foreign nationals, who, like Queen Elisabeth herself, had worked and cared for the suffering victims of war for a year or more prior to 10 September 1919. Although not limited to medical care of the sick and wounded, recipients who earned the medal by working in hospitals received a variant with a red enamelled cross within the suspension wreath. A great many Belgian and foreign doctors and nurses received the medal.

Award description

The Queen Elisabeth Medal was a circular medal, in diameter, with four sections inset by giving it the slight outline of a cross. It had a slightly raised edge on both sides. The medal was struck in bronze but many recipients opted for silver or gilt silver variants.
Its

obverse Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, ...

bore the relief right profile bust of Queen Elisabeth with the circular relief inscription "ÉLISABETH REINE DES BELGES" translating into "ELISABETH QUEEN OF THE BELGIANS".
The reverse bore the relief image of a nurse sitting and holding an oil lamp with the circular inscription in

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

"PRO PATRIA HONORE ET CARITATE" translating into "FOR COUNTRY HONOUR AND CHARITY". Below, the years "1914 - 1916" are inscribed.
At the top, a laurel wreath with a hollow centre served as the base for the suspension loop. Awards made for services to wounded or invalided soldiers incorporated a red enamelled cross within the wreath. The medal was suspended by a ring through a suspension loop from a wide silk moiré ribbon with wide pink edge stripes.

Recipients (partial list)

* Theodosia Bagot * Dr Helen Boyle, served with Royal Free Hospital Unit in Serbia *Dr

Mabel Jones Mabel Jones (c. 1865–1923) was a British physician and a sympathizer to the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). Medical career Trained in London and from 1898, she worked in a practice with her fellow student, Dr Helen Boyle in Brig ...

Mairi Chisholm Mairi Lambert Gooden Chisholm of Chisholm, MM, OStJ (26 February 1896 – 22 August 1981), known as Mairi Chisholm, was a Scottish nurse and ambulance driver in the First World War. She, together with her friend Elsie Knocker, won numerous me ...

, served with

Elsie Knocker Elsie Knocker, later Baroness de T'Serclaes, (29 July 1884 – 26 April 1978) was a British nurse and ambulance driver in World War I who, together with her friend Mairi Chisholm, won numerous medals for bravery and for saving the lives of tho ...

as a nurse and ambulance driver on the Western Front in Belgium. *Jeanne Corbes * Mary J. Davies (née Brown) 1870 – 1918, Farndon, Chester * Mary Emmott, Baroness Emmott of Oldham"Emmott, Lady Mary Gertrude (Mrs Alfred Emmott, Baroness Emmott of Oldham) (née Lees) OBE, JP", ''Women: a modern political dictionary'', pp.58-59 * Myrtle Flower from Roma, Queensland, Australia *

, later Baroness de T'Serclaes, served with

as a nurse and ambulance driver on the Western Front in Belgium *Hazel Marie Lane, née Wharton-Kirke * Elizabeth Pinfold of

Karori Karori is a suburb located at the western edge of the urban area of Wellington, New Zealand, 4 km from the city centre and is one of New Zealand's most populous suburbs, with a population of in History Origins The name ''Karori'' used ...

, Wellington, New Zealand * Jane Runciman, of

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

, New Zealand * Mary Downie Stewart, of

, New Zealand * Emilie Blackmore Stapp for raising humanitarian aid to Belgium after World War I * Henrietta Willmore from

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

, Australia. Her medal, a handwritten note from the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs and a letter dated 5 January 1920 from the Belgian Vice Consul are held in collection of the State Library of Queensland. *Awards were also made to regional committees in the UK including 5 members of the Belgian Relief Committee in Preston, Lancashire: Mrs Jamieson, Mrs Firth, Mrs Fitzherbert-Brockholes, Mrs Hayhurst and the Reverend Mother Superior of St Joseph's Orphanage and Hospital, Theatre Street, Preston. The medal awarded to Mrs Hayhurst is now in the collection of the

Harris Museum The Harris Museum is a Grade I-listed building in Preston, Lancashire, England. Founded by Edmund Harris in 1877, it is a local history and fine art museum. History In the 19th century, it became legal to raise money for libraries by local ...

. *The Times Newspaper published news of awards to the National Belgian Relief Committee in London on 28 June 1918. * Helen Rabagliati who was president of the Ilkley Ladies' Hospitality Committee * Mary T. Wall (nee Lynch) of Halifax, N.S., Canada who was a Canadian Nursing Sister. *Sister Mary Duggan (1856-1931), Superior of Hollymount (Sisters of Charity of Jesus & Mary), 'in recognition of the kind help and valuable assistance you have personally given to the Belgian refugees and the Belgian soldiers during the war.' *

Estella Cave, Countess Cave of Richmond Estella may refer to: People * Diego de Estella (1524–1578) * Estella Sneider (born 1950) *Estella Warren (born 1978), Canadian actress *Estella, the ''nom de guerre'' of Italian labor leader Teresa Noce Fictional *Estella Havisham, a charact ...

References

Other sources

* Quinot H., 1950, ''Recueil illustré des décorations belges et congolaises, 4e Edition.'' (Hasselt) * Cornet R., 1982, ''Recueil des dispositions légales et réglementaires régissant les ordres nationaux belges. 2e Ed. N.pl''., (Brussels) * Borné A.C., 1985, ''Distinctions honorifiques de la Belgique, 1830-1985'' (Brussels) * Captain H. Taprell Dorling, 1956, ''Ribbons and Medals'', page 178 (A.H.Baldwin & Sons, London)

External links

Bibliothèque royale de Belgique
(In French)

(In French)

(In French and Dutch) *The thirty-three New Zealand recipients of the Queen Elisabeth Medal are liste
here
with a brief biography on each {{Belgium honours Orders, decorations, and medals of Belgium Awards established in 1915 1915 establishments in Belgium Military awards and decorations of World War I Belgium in World War I

Award description

Recipients (partial list)

See also

References

Other sources

External links