The interesting County Secretary for the Saint John Ambulance Brigade in Berkshire’s Second World War Ambulance Service, Civil Defence and Saint John Long Service group awarded to Mrs Gertrude Elizabeth Thomas, No.2 District and Berkshire Saint John Ambulance Brigade, who originally joined the Brigade Cadets along with her future husband back in 1928. Between them they would go on to give over 100 years service to the St John Ambulance Brigade in Berkshire, with her husband becoming the County Commissioner of the St John Ambulance Brigade in Berkshire. She was awarded the Service Medal of the Order of Saint John in 1942 when a Lady Ambulance Driver, and went on to gain a remarkable four addition award bars in silver-gilt, representing a minimum of 47 years service. In May 1978 she was awarded a Dame of Grace of The Most Venerable Order of Saint John.
Group of 5: The Most Venerable Order of Saint John, Dame of Grace shoulder badge in silver and enamel, mounted on correct ladies-issue bow ribbon with wearing pin as issued, and housed in an old but unofficial case; Defence Medal 1939-1945; Jubilee Medal 1977; Civil Defence Long Service Medal, British issue, unnamed as issued; Service Medal of the Order of Saint John, silver with straight bar suspension, with four silver-gilt type additional award bars; (24482 L/A/OFF. G. THOMAS. NO.2. DIST. S.J.A.B. 1942.), last four mounted court style as worn.
Gertrude Elizabeth Thomas was married in October 1939, and having, along with her husband, joined the Saint John Ambulance Brigade Cadets back in 1928, she was serving during the Second World War as a Lady Ambulance Officer (No.24482) with No.2 District, Saint John’s Ambulance Brigade, when she was awarded the Service Medal of the Order of Saint John in 1942. She went on to gain a remarkable four addition award bars in silver-gilt, representing a minimum of 47 years service.
By the 1970’s her husband, Mr William G. Thomas, was County Commissioner of the St John Ambulance Brigade in Berkshire, and she is confirmed on the medal roll for the Jubilee Medal 1977 as having been awarded this medal when she was serving as the County Secretary for the Saint John Ambulance Brigade in Berkshire.
The local newspaper, the Reading Evening Post of 20 May 1978 reported that she had been awarded the Dame of Grace of The Most Venerable Order of Saint John, this honour having followed that awarded to her husband in 1977, when he was made a Knight of Grace. The newspaper article further records that ‘between them they have given over 100 years service to the St John Ambulance Brigade in Berkshire.’ Around this time she was living at Berkeley Avenue in Reading.
In addition to her service with the Saint John Ambulance Brigade, she served at least 15 years with the Civil Defence Corps prior to this corps being disbanded in 1968.
