Full medal write up
ROYAL RED CROSS, 2ND CLASS (A.R.R.C.), G.V.R., SILVER AND ENAMEL, UNNAMED, ON BOW RIBBON, IN GARRARD, LONDON CASE OF ISSUE; BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS ‘SISTER D. M. SEMPERS’, TERRITORIAL FORCE WAR MEDAL 1914-18 ‘S. NURSE D. M. SEMPERS, T.F.N.S.’ THESE THREE MOUNTED AS WORN/
A.R.R.C. London Gazette 3 June 1919.
Dora Mary Sempers was born on 26 December 1888 in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire and by 1896 her family had moved to Collingham, near Newark-on-Trent. She trained at the West Suffolk General Hospital, Bury St Edmunds 1910-13, gaining her nursing certificate. A member the Territorial Force Nursing Service from March 1914, aged 25, she was called up for service on 16 September 1914. Serving at 4th Northern General Hospital and then at Malta from 9 June 1915, she entered the Salonika theatre of war on 6 June 1916, having travelled there via Italy and Malta - her journey well illustrated by the photographs she took. She initially served at 28th General Hospital in Salonica, then at Gunetze, Doiran and Vetrina, serving as a Staff Nurse.
Malta, casualties from Gallipoli:
https://www.maltaramc.com/articles/contents/greatwar.html
The albums and loose photographs are exceptional in that they depict a young nurse, embarking for overseas service, starting with leaving Lincoln by train in May 1915, right through to the end of the war where she was back. From her journey out of Lincoln, content moves on to her journey overseas on R.M.S. Orsova in May 1915; various shots taken of nurses, the ship, crew etc. They continue with Landing at Gibraltar and on to Vecchia in Salonica. Various scenic and military hospital images, nurses, soldiers. Some interesting photos (8) that seem somewhat out of place in that they are of soldiers in the trenches, likely at Gallipoli. The rest of the album is taken at a variety of locations in Salonica. Some of which Sempers was clearly based in military hospitals near the front lines and she and fellow nurses are clearly accommodated in small tents. Others she is clearly based at larger hospitals away from the front, scenic shots, visits, socialising, hospital accommodation, patients etc etc. The content is fascinating.
https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/salonika-casualty-evacuation-chain/
The largest hardbound album measures 28 x 21cm, contains 300 photographs, the content as above briefly described; see the listed photos for better idea of content.
A smaller album, measuring 20 x 14cm, contains 63 photographs of a similar nature to above.
The Smallest album, measuring 17.5 x 12.5cm, contains 27 photographs, mostly 1 per page is of nurses and convalescent soldiers of different nationalities, possibly in a military hospital in the UK.
Among the loose photographs are some superb shots of both Sister Sempers and other veterans wearing their medals and also a fine large card backed portrait photograph of a slightly older Sister Sempers wearing her awards, likely taken in the mid to late 1920’s.
In June 1919, Sister Sempers was awarded the A.R.R.C. for her nursing work in Salonika. She was registered as a S.R.N. in 1922. The 1931 Register for Nurses gives her address as Collingham, Newark-on-Trent. The 1939 Register shows she was then living in Sheffield and was still there in 1960 , where she was the treasurer of the Sheffield Branch of the Salonica Association. She died in Waltham, Lincolnshire on 5 March 1980, having never married.
1) Territorial Force Nursing Service Cape Badge, silver, unnamed
2) West Suffolk General Hospital Nursing Badge, silver and enamel (D. M. Sempers) hallmarks for Birmingham 1913
3) General Nursing Council S.R.N. Badge, silver and enamel (D. M. Sempers, S.R.N. 4707, 16.6.22)
4) Sempers military identity disk ‘Sempers. D.M., C.E., T.F.N.S.’
5) Salonika Reunion Association 1915-19, enamelled lapel badge
6) brass locket containing photographs of Sister Semper around the start of the war and another in Salonica with an Officer who appears in several photographs
7) Medal ribbon bar, pins to reverse for wear
8) A large certificate of appreciation to Sister Dora Sempers, from the inhabitants of North and South Collingham (Nottinghamshire), for her service in the T.F.N.S. during the Great War
9) A fine portrait photograph of the recipient in uniform wearing her medals, this taken several years after the Great War
10) Several smaller portrait and group photographs/cabinet cards as a young nurse both civilian and military
11) A fine photograph of Sister Sempers in later life, with another veteran nurse, both wearing their medals and awards
12) A superb group 1936 photograph taken aboard ship of veteran soldiers and nurses visiting Salonica. Most wearing their medals
13) Two fine photographs of veterans on armistice day, the reserve of the nurses one dated 1956
14) A large photograph album containing many photographs, some loose, some identified, of officers, nurses, people and places visited from leaving Lincoln in May 1915; on board the R.M.S. Orsova, May 1915, then on to Italy, Malta and Salonika
15) A quantity of similar photographs similar to above, some inscribed to the reverse.
16) Two other smaller albums - mostly unidentified photographs of nurses and recuperating men; sundry other loose photographs; postcards, some inscribed
17) A ‘day book’ containing verse, signatures, sketches and pressed flowers etc.
18) A book: Counsels to Nurses, by Edward, Lord Bishop of Lincoln
19) A colourful silk scarf from Salonica
20) 1917 Active Service Testament
21) A menu from RMS Orsova, May 17 1915; this from when she was first posted overseas
22) Postcards of the ruins of Pompei (post War)
23) Nursing Mirror, June 1919 containing a list of honours and awards, including that to Sempers
24) 2 copies of ‘The Mosquito’, Salonika Reunion Association Journal from 1960, one has an article and photograph of Sister Sempers in Salonica and tell how she was then the treasurer of the Sheffield Branch of the Association.
25) The Great War, I Was There magazine
26) Great War military map of Salonika
27) Various other letters, documents etc
Sempers service papers have yet to be located and these would give more details on her service; the above taken from the content of the group. Medal rolls and MIC confirms BWM/Victory Pair and TFWM.
This really is a superb and extensive group to a Great War nurse, the content would be hard to better.