Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An extremely rare Punjab Frontier R.R.C. pair awarded to Nursing Sister M. E. Barker, Indian Army Nursing Service

Royal Red Cross, V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (Nursing Sister M. E. Barker, I.A.N.S.) good very fine (2) £3500-4000

Royal Red Cross London Gazette 21 April 1899: ‘Miss Mary Ellen Barker, Indian Nursing Service. In recognition of the services rendered by her in connection with the nursing of the sick and wounded during the late operations on the Punjab Frontier.’ One of only three R.R.C. awards for this campaign, the other two being announced in this same gazette.

Mary Ellen Barker was born at Mansfield on 25 March 1863, and educated at a Ladies’ Private School at Barlbrough, Derbyshire. She entered the Nightingale Fund Training School at St Thomas’s Hospital, Lambeth, in July 1889, and after completing her training ‘very satisfactorily’ was placed on the Hospital Staff. She applied for the Indian Nursing Service in April 1894 and was appointed a Nursing Sister on 27 November 1895. After service on the Punjab Frontier, she obtained leave to England for one year from November 1900, and again from February 1904, this time for six months sick leave. Nurse Barker retired from the service in about June 1905.