Canada. A First War Group To Nursing Sister Hamilton, Canadian Army Medical Corps

1914-15 Star (N. SISTER J.R. HAMILTON. CAN:A.M.C.); British War Medal (N. SISTER J.R. HAMILTON.); Victory Medal (N. SISTER J.R. HAMILTON.); and King George V and Queen Mary Silver Jubilee Medal. Un-mounted, dark patina on the silver medals, contact marks on the reverse of the Star, spotting and gilt wear on the VM, original ribbons, the ribbon of the JM bow-tied with pinback, very fine. Accompanied by copies of her Attestation Paper, Service Records, Discharge Certificate and her Proceedings of a Medical Board Report, along with a reproduction photograph of Hamilton in uniform.

Footnote: Julia Richardson Hamilton was born on August 20, 1880 in Durham, Grey County, Ontario. She had Scarlet Fever and Measles as a child, along with Pneumonia at the ages of 14 and 18 and made a good recovery from all. She was appointed to her commissioned rank of Nursing Sister on April 14, 1915 and signed her Attestation Paper with the Canadian Army Medical Corps on May 12, 1915 in London, England, at the age of 34, naming her next-of-kin as Mrs. A. L. Perkins of Powassan, Ontario, stating that she was with an Active Militia, that she was Married, that her religion was Church of England and that her trade was that of Graduate Nurse. During her medical examination, the doctor noted that she had an appendectomy scar. She was transferred for service in the French theatre and was taken on strength at Etaples on July 19, 1915, where she joined No. 4 British General Hospital on July 20th, then transferred to No. 1 Canadian General Hospital. She was detailed for temporary duty and attached to No. 8 British Stationary Hospital on September 25, 1915, for a period of forty days, before rejoining No. 1 Canadian General Hospital on November 4th. She proceeded to England for duty on November 11th and was posted to No. 4 Canadian General Hospital in London. Three weeks later, she was posted to the Duchess of Connaught Red Cross Hospital on November 30th. Hamiltonserved at Duchess of Connaught for the next ten and a half weeks, before being transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital at Bearwood Park on February 12, 1916, where she would serve for five months, before proceeding to London on July 10, 1916. After having served in both England and France, she was now readied for overseas service in the Mediterranean region. Nursing Sister Hamilton embarked Southampton, England on July 21, 1916 aboard the Hospital Ship Oxfordshire, disembarking in Port Said, Egypt. Shortly thereafter, she embarked Alexandria, Egypt for the Greek theatre aboard the Hospital Ship Grantully Castle, disembarking at Salonika, Greece on August 4, 1916, where she was posted to No. 4 General Hospital. After one month in Salonika, she was admitted to hospital with Malaria on September 4th but released from hospital on the 13th.

The following Spring, she was again admitted to hospital on March 7, 1917, the initial diagnosis stated as "N.Y.D." (Not Yet Determined), which was redefined as Influenza on the 9th. She was evacuated via Hospital Ship from Salonika on March 21, 1917, arriving in Malta on March 24th aboard the Hospital Ship Llandovery Castle. Nursing Sister Hamilton embarked Malta for England on May 22, 1917 and upon arrival, was posted to the Canadian Army Medical Corps Depot on the 27th and admitted to Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Hospital at 71 Vincent Sq. S.W. on the 28th. In her Proceedings of a Medical Board Report, dated June 29, 1917 at London, it states that "The Board finds that this Nursing Sister had an attack of Pleurisy complicated with Malaria. The M.H.S. shows that she was in Salonika from July 20th 1916 and in August 1916 had her first attack of Malaria. She has had subsequent attacks and is now in a weakened condition. The M.H.S. further states that she is now free from infection, is anemic, but requires a long convalescence." The recommendation stated that she was "Unfit for any service for two months". She was discharged upon hospitalization in England on July 4th and left shortly thereafter for sick leave to Canada. She was granted an extension of leave by a Medical Board in Canada on September 21, 1917 and was again retained in Canada for further medical treatment, the additional extension awarded on October 29, 1917. Nursing Sister Hamilton sailed from Canada aboard the S.S. Missanabie on December 19, 1917 and upon arrival in England, was posted to the Canadian Army Medical Depot on January 5, 1918. She was admitted to Kitchener Military Hospital at Brighton with a case of Tonsillitis on November 7, 1918 and after one week's treatment and hospitalization, she was discharged on the 15th. In a medical examination performed at No. 14 Canadian General Hospital at Eastbourne, on March 7, 1919, in regards to her Malaria and Pleurisy at Salonika in 1917, the doctor noted that she had made a "good recovery - but has occasional slight attacks of Malaria, quickly controlled by quinine" and that she "has attacks of indigestion following each malarial attack - usually last about one week". Upon the ceasing of hostilities, she embarked for home on March 19, 1919 aboard the HMT Minnekahda, arriving in Canada on March 28th. Nursing Sister Julia Richardson Hamilton, Canadian Army Medical Corps was discharged upon general demobilization, on March 31, 1919, credited with having served in Canada, England and France with the Canadian Army Medical Corps Training Depot, No. 1 Canadian General Hospital, No. 8 Stationary Hospital, Duchess of Connaught Red Cross Hospital, Bearwood Park Convalescent Hospital, No. 4 Canadian General Hospital, and the Canadian Army Medical Corps Depot at Eastbourne, along with having served overseas in Salonika. For her First World War service, she was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Additionally, she was awarded the King George V and Queen Mary Silver Jubilee Medal in 1935. Julia Richardson Hamilton died on August 20, 1958, at the age of 78, which was also her 78th birthday.