Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War M.B.E., Order of St. John group of four awarded to Mrs. Mia Lucas, St. John Ambulance Brigade

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Civil) Member’s 1st type badge, silver (hallmarks for London 1919), with M.I.D. oak leaves on riband [sic]; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Serving Sister’s badge, silver and enamel, the reverse engraved ‘Mia Lucas. London May 3rd. 1918’; Coronation 1937; St. John Service Medal, with Four Additional Award Bars (6069 Lady D./Supt. M. Lucas Barry Hill Nsg. Div. Priory for Wales. 1927.) good very fine (4) £300-400

M.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1920.

Order of St. John, Serving Sister London Gazette 3 May 1918.

Mrs. Mia Lucas, née Payne, was born in Aberdare in 1873 and married Mr. Walter Lucas in 1897. She joined the Barry Division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade in 1912, and served during the Great War as Quartermaster and Assistant Commandant of the Barry Island Hospital, which was, in August 1914, the first Voluntary Aid Department Hospital to open in the United Kingdom. She was twice ‘Mentioned’ by the Secretary of State for her War Service (St. John records refer), and in April 1918 was appointed a Serving Sister of the Order of St. John. She received her insignia from H.R.H. Prince Arthur of Connaught on 21 January 1920, during his visit to Wales.

Nominated for the Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class, for her War work by the Chapter of the Order of St. John, Mrs. Lucas was instead created a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1920 New Year’s Honours List. She was advanced to an Officer of the Order of St. John on 24 June 1938, and she died in 1947.

Sold together with a bronze Borough of Barry Commemorative Medallion 1960.