Description
Physical description
Single collar badge to officers of the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC), being a St. Edward's (Queen's) crown surmounting a vertically elongated cross patee (the 'Dannebrog') in the centre of which a circlet enclosing the 'A' cypher of Queen Alexandra, the cross is enclosed in a voided laurel wreath, tips linked by the crown, over the lower left and right portions of the wreath respectively a scroll embossed "SUB CRUCE" and "CANDIDA" (Under the White Cross), across the foot of the wreath a scroll on which embossed "Q.A.R.A.N.C.". The lower scroll silver plate, remainder gilt. Captioned: "Collar Badge". Two loops to reverse.
Physical description
Box 107: Mounting card captioned: "Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps Officers" on which 8 items (11547-11554). Also captioned bottom left: "54/Misc/6489 \ Box No 127". Two deposits of green sealing wax to reverse on one of which an oval seal bearing MINISTRY OF DEFENCE / PATTERN ROOM, with across the centre, ARMY / OFFICERS. Top left an oval stamp on which "Q (Maint) 2 / MINISTRY OF DEFENCE" with across the centre "15 JUL 1970". One small lead disc seal.
History note
BADGE 1. The central motif of the headdress, and the identical but smaller collar, badges, is the "Dannebrog", or Danish Cross, in conjunction with the motto "Sub Cruce Candida", translated in English as "Under the White Cross". The badge is the same, with a different crown, to that of the predecessor "Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service" (QAIMNS).
History note
Badge 2. The Dannebrog is a Danish emblem, dating from the mediaeval period, upon which is based the Danish "Order of the Dannebrog", from which the motto comes. The design was chosen by Queen Alexandra, the Danish wife of King Edward VII, on becoming the first president of the "Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service" on its formation in 1902.
History note
HISTORY 1. The "Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps" (QARANC) was formed on 1 February 1949, becoming a Corps of the Regular Army.
History note
HISTORY 2. Female nurses were first employed by the Army in 1866 and an official "Army Nursing Service" was formed in 1881. This was supplemented in 1887 by the formation of "Princess Christian's Army Nursing Service Reserve". From these the "Queen Alexandra's Imperial Nursing Service" (QAIMNS) was established by Royal Warrant in March 1902. In 1904 State Registered Nurses (SRN) in the QAIMNS were accorded officer status, but not granted regular commissions. A "Territorial Force Nursing Service" was formed in 1908, becoming the "Territorial Army Nursing Service" in 1920. From 1902, military nursing was undertaken principally by RAMC male orderlies with Nurses of the QAIMNS, and by the Territorial Nursing Services. In 1949 the QARANC established Regular and Territorial nursing services as a single whole and from that date SRNs received regular commissions. The QARANC has a Territorial element and so is effectively the successor to both the QAIMNS and the successive Territorial nursing services, but the predecessor services were not disbanded but allowed to gradually disappear as their personnel retired. From 1950 the Corps was responsible for training nurses, and non-officer ranks were recruited. Since 1992 men have been allowed to join.
(obverse) embossed
(obverse) A Q.A.R.A.N.C