A rare Southern Rhodesian Woman's Second World War era 'Home Front' Red Cross Voluntary service medal group of 5: Miss Kathleen M. Henderson, V.A.D. Detachment 4, Southern Rhodesia Overseas Branch of the British Red Cross Society

- Voluntary Medical Service Medal. First type, silver, with service bar (Miss Kathleen M. Henderson)
- British Red Cross Society: 'Proficiency in First Aid' (029528 K. M. Henderson)
- British Red Cross Society: 'Proficiency in Red Cross Nursing' (36373 K.M. Henderson)
- British Red Cross Society: 3 years’ service with Second Third & Fourth award bars (22926)
- British Red Cross Society 'County Badge': 'Southern Rhodesia'

Important: All 5 x items of insignia awarded to recipient for service as V.A.D. with No. 4 Detachment, Southern Rhodesia Branch of the British Red Cross Society
 
Sold together with below following original ephemera::

- 2 x BRCS cards for Voluntary Medical Service Medal & bar to medal Southern Rhodesia
- 2 x BRCS docs named for service as VAD Southern Rhodesia for awards
- BRCS Proficiency Voucher in 'Home Nursing' named and dated 14/10/41
- Original letter pertaining to the recipients biographical details & services

Kathleen Maude Henderson, daughter of Jane May Henderson, was a true 'Daughter of Empire', having been born in Spanish Town, Saint Catherine, Jamaica, British West Indies circa 1886. Following her father's death, the family comprising Kathleen her older sister Violet Nellie Henderson, their widowed mother - all born in Spanish Town, Jamaica, B.W.I. - returned to the United Kingdom. During the Great War, Kathleen is reported to have worked in the War Office during the Great War. The 1921 National Census, records Kathleen, described as 34 years & 10 months of age, and by profession a 'Short-Hand Typist', residing with her widowed mother and sister at 3 Blenheim Pk Road, S Croydon. Surrey, England. Prior to 1939, Kathleen relocated to Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia, where he was employed as a Secretary to the Manager of a well known hotel. She was an early - and perhaps original - volunteer member to the Southern Rhodesia Branch of the British Red Cross Society, and served as a V.A.D. with No. 4 Detachment during the Second World War. Kathleen continued her voluntary work with the BRCS post-war, and was awarded her Voluntary Medical Services for 15 years service prior to 16 February 1955, and a further '5 Years' clasp to the medal for completing 20 years service prior to 16 February 1960. Kathleen never married, and is recorded to have died in Bulawayo, Rhodesia sometime in 1971, and where her body was interred in a local cemetery

British Red Cross Society County Badges: These breast badges were first instituted in 1911, and continued to be issued and worn worn through to 1956, in which year they were discontinued. The uniform plachets were suspended from enamelled suspension broochess each of which was inscribed with the name of the respective BRCS 'branch'. Mostly the badges shows the names of county's and shire's in Britain, but also included a few named to overseas branches that existed in France & Flanders during the Great War and inter-war years, including parts of the British Empire 

BRCS County Badges, were instituted in 'Southern Rhodesia' in 1933. The British Red Cross Society formed a central branch in Southern Rhodesia in 1933. Southern Rhodesia is now known as Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society or ZRCS was founded in 1981

The BRCS county badge with 'Southern Rhodesia' brooch is extremely rare seen

A most desirable - and extremely scarce - Southern Rhodesia Second World War 'Home Front' grouping to a female Red Cross volunteer
 
Condition: The 3 Years BRCS award with enamel loss (a/f) the rest mostly EF

Code: 25711