QARNNS
 

I just stumbled upon these pictures of Queen Anne Royal Navy Nursing Service Sisters. For me this is a great find as it shows what they wore on their tippet. I have seen these types of badges offered, but was never really sure what they were or where they were worn.

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https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds

I am not able to tell if they are all the same badge or if they are different. The ones I normally see offered seem to be different ones?

Terry

Terry,
It is Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service

Tim

Thanks Tim, my error!!! I was thinking of the the current FANY organization when I typed it.

Terry

Hi Terry,
There was a QARNNS and a QARNNS(Reserve). The tippet badges can be seen as rank badges, so there is a whole variety of them based on the rank of the nurse. The QARNNS wore gold bullion badges and the Reserve wore silver bullion badges with word RESERVE below the red cross. You will find the earlier badges (c.1930's - mid 1950's) have a kings crown in the design and the later badges have a Queen Elizabeth crown.

Nursing sister - Crown, AA anchor, Red cross
Senior Nursing sister - addition of red bar beneath red cross
Superintending sister - Red edge around whole badge
Matron - Gold edge around whole badge
Principal Matron - Gold edge around badge with gold bar below cross
Matron in Chief - Double gold edge to badge

If memory serves, the Reserve only had Nursing sisters and Senior nursing sisters, so only 4 badges there (2 KC and 2 QIIC)
The regular service has 12 badges (6 KC and 6 QIIC) in gold bullion

Then there are also yellow thread economy badges and also shoulder boards with same device.

Up until the 1960's or 70's (cant remember exact date) the service was all officers, but then a non officer nursing service was formed and they have there own set of badges.

There is also a whole range of cap badges and belt buckles as well.

This link for some more info on QARNNS - https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ad.php?t=72903


The service was absorbed into the regular RN a while back. Also cant recall exact date.

Regards
Steven

Thank you Steven! Some excellent info and very much appreciated.

Of course there is a down side to this as it is going to be very difficult for me not to want to start pursuing the QARNNS now!!!! Oh well, I guess there are worse trials to face than a new area of collecting!!!:)

Terry

Hello,

interesting thread, thank you for sharing.

Here are two of my pics showing QARNNS, both ww2 period taken.

As per caption, first one shows a group of RN Wrens with two QARNNS nurses, picture taken in 1943.

Second one is from another source & photos lot, from one of these junior QARNNS Reserve nurses, while assigned in Malta Bighi RN Hospital 1943-44(I think I have the nurse's name). Based on Steven’s explanations, looks like all the ones with visible tippet badges belong to QARNNS Reserve, a part the most senior one sat next to the RN officer, who seems to wear a Superintending sister or Matron tippet badge (hard to say from B&W pic).

Ladies under uniforms of the ww2 german, free french & british & Commonwealth navies is also a topic of interest to me. :)


Cheers,

JD

JD, great pictures!!! Thanks for sharing,

Terry

Thanks Terry (love them too :) ), my pleasure!

JD

I bought this QARNNS Reserve Tippett badge this morning and having read this thread right through I thought that I would upload a picture. Sadly, a moth got there before but I am still very happy with it.