A Durham 'Sisters' Great War St. John Ambulance Brigade lot of 7 x medals: Lady Ambulance Officer G. M. Coulson & Ambulance Sister N. Coulson, St John's Ambulance Brigade, 5th Volunteer Auxiliary Hospital, 'Cranmer House', 17 North Bailey, Durham

Comprising:

a). Lady Ambulance Officer Gertrude Mary Coulson

- SJAB Service Medal. With bar (4992 L/A/Offr. G. M. Coulson. Durham C. Nusg. Divn No 6 Dis. S.J.A.B. 1926.)

- Durham VAD War Workers Medal 1914-18. Large bronze type with integral top brooch bar (191 / G.M. Coulson)

- St John Ambulance Brigade. Bronze prize medal. Rev engraved (S.J.A.B. / County Final / Nursing / 1929)

- St John Ambulance Brigade. Bronze prize medal. .Rev engraved (Durham / Nursing Cup / S.J.A.B. / 1933)

Note: The Service Medal retaining its original silk riband. This fitted with a mounting brooch with hinged pin & clasp as issued. The medal contained in it's plush lined leatherette hinged case of issue. This latter with the makers logo 'Lamb & Co' on the inside silk panel

b). Ambulance Sister Annie 'Nancy' Coulson

- St John Ambulance Brigade: Service Medal. Silver with further service bar (4993 A/Sis. N. Coulson. Durham C. Nsg. Divn No 6 Dist. S.J.A.B. 1926.)
- Durham VAD War Workers Medal 1914-18. Large bronze type with integral top brooch bar (192 N. Coulson)

- St John Ambulance Brigade. Bronze prize medal. Rev engraved (Durham / Nursing Cup / S.J.A.B. / 1933)

Note: The Service Medal retaining its original silk riband. This fitted with a mounting brooch with hinged pin & clasp as issued. The medal contained in it's plush lined leatherette hinged case of issue. This latter with the makers logo 'Lamb & Co' on the inside silk panel.

The sisters Gertrude Mary Coulson (b. 1884) & Annie 'Nancy' Coulson (b. 1888) were the daughters of Colonel Francis Coulson - a Co Durham Mining Magnate - and Ann Coulson (nee Hall). The sisters had the distinction of both volunteering and enlisting in the St. John Ambulance Brigade on the very same day - their service numbers being sequential - and served throughout the Great War as Nurses with the same Durham Volunteer Air Detachment. In 1914, the Coulson family resided at Shamrock House, Durham, England. The sisters continued to serve together in the same Durham St. John Ambulance Brigade unit post war, and were each awarded their St. John Service Medals in the same year, 1926 (the medals 'presented' in 1927)

Reference the 'Durham County Advertiser' issue of, 6 November 1914, for a detailed article titled 'Wounded British and Belgian Soldiers at Durham -Cranmer House as a Hospital'. In the article, both sisters are recorded volunteering at the 5th Volunteer Auxiliary Hospital (Cranmer House, 17 North Bailey, Durham). At which time there were 20 x soldier patients resident in the hospital, who had been wounded in the opening months of the Great War, the majority of whom were recovering from bullet and battlefield wounds. Of the 23 men in the hospital, three were British soldiers and the remaining 17 were Belgian soldiers, all of whom are identified by name, age and regiment in the cited article

A splendid family lot of medals of considerable Great War 'Durham' local history interest

Condition: Service medals toned EF, others GVF

Code: 23637