Royal Red Cross 1st Class Victoria, to the A.N.S. one of two awards for services during the Sudan Campaign of 1898 and being one of only a total of seven nurses present 1895-99. Originally forwarded for the Khedives Sudan, three including the recipient with clasp but later all considered not to have met the criteria. Together with the Order of St. John this awarded for services in the Boer War. One of 3 awards award for the Sudan operations, 1898, Mentioned in. Despatches for the Boer War, September 1901, gazetted for a second Royal Red Cross, October 1901. Due to regulations not allowing the Order of St John was awarded in it’s place 1902

Royal Red Cross, 1st Class, V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, silver and enamel breast badge, Q.S.A, no clasp (Superintendent), K.S.A., no clasp (Supt.) with a Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service cape badge

R.R.C. L.G., 15/11/1898: ‘The Queen has been graciously pleased to confer the Decoration of the Royal Red Cross upon the undermentioned ladies, in recognition of their services in tending the sick and wounded in Egypt, in connection with the recent operations in the Soudan: Miss Sarah Emily Webb, Army Nursing Service …’

M.I.D. L.G. 10/9/1902

Gazetted for a second award for. the R.R.C. L.G. 5/10/1901

Order of St. John   5/7/1902.

From the ‘The Nursing Record’ Dec. 17, 1898.

‘The Queen received two Nursing Sisters at Windsor on Thursday, the 8th, and conferred upon them the Decoration of the Royal Red Cross, the two ladies have received the decoration for services during the recent Soudan campaign are Miss Sarah Emily Webb, Superintendent of the Army Nursing Service, and Miss Elizabeth Geddes , National Aid Society. The Red Cross Ship the Mayflower made three trips up the Nile and brought down  those of the sick and wounded who were unfit for the 700 miles of railway journey. It was of these the Red Cross Nurses. had charge.’

Superintendent Webb was one of only seven nurses present 1895-99. Whittakers Directory records all seven to have been awarded the Khedives Medal, four without clasp and three including Webb with clasp. The application by the National Aid Society was replied to in true bureaucratic style  ‘In reply I am to acquaint you, with regret that the applicants do not come within the terms of the Army Order governing the grant of the Medal by His Highness the Khedive for the late Soudan Expedition.’

Sarah Emily Webb was born in Dublin, on 30 April 1856. She joined the Army Nursing Service at Netley on 1 May 1886. As such she was awarded the R.R.C. 1st Class for her service in Egypt, in tending the wounded and sick following the Sudan Campaign. As a Superintendent she served in the Boer War, was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 10 September 1901) and on 29 July 1902 was made an Honorary Associate of the Order of St. John. Services as Superintendent, 9 General Hospital, Bloemfontein. She was originally gazetted for the Royal Red Cross but as second awards were not instituted until 1917 this was cancelled in favour of the Order of St. John.

She was appointed a Matron in the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service on 17 February 1903, she resigned from the service on 17 June 1904. when married to Major Andrew Hosie, R.A.M.C., at St. John’s, Waterloo Road, London, on 7 June 1904. Resided,  Barsham Lodge, Sandown, Isle of Wight. In August 1914  was appointed Matron of Parkhurst Hospital, Isle of Wight She resigned due to ill-health in April 1916. Following on from this she was subsequently awarded the Silver War Badge. She died at her sister’s home at 47 Garville Avenue, Rathgar, Dublin, on 29 July 1944.