WöschlerOrden

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Female Iron Cross recipient buried in Ireland??

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Female Iron Cross recipient buried in Ireland??

    Hello All,

    Yesterday, I was shown this picture of a headstone in a Cemetery in Deansgrange in County Dublin, Ireland...



    It reads:

    In Loving Memory of
    Mary Edith Coleman
    who died at Blackrock on Setember 23rd 1906

    For her devoted care of the wounded soldiers
    both French and German
    in the Franco-Prussian War
    in the year 1870
    under the auspices
    of the Red Cross Society
    She was as Mrs. Alsager
    decorated by the Emperor William
    with the Order of the Iron Cross.


    She is mentioned frequently in local historic circles as being famed for having been awarded the Iron Cross.
    When I saw it, my first thought was that this cannot be correct.
    I felt sure that there was a mistake and that surely she was a recipient of the Verdienstkreuz für Frauen und Jungfrauen 1870/71, and NOT the Iron Cross....

    Sure enough, a little searching found her here!!:
    (on page 37)

    "Verwitwete Frau Rentner Mary Edith Alsager, geb. Gray, zu London."

    http://www.ordensmuseum.de/Ordensjou...rlLiJungfr.pdf

    I have read that her family had the inscription made having been very proud of her 'rare award'. I feel it would be nice for her to have her official decoration recognised, so hopefully anyone searching her name in the future will find a link to this thread.

    Regards - Danny

    #2
    Thank you Danny for posting this great picture. I was aware that English doctors serving with the Prussian forces were awarded the EK2 on the White Black ribbon, but this is a first for me as well!

    Comment


      #3
      ... sorry ..

      Comment


        #4
        Very cool bit of history! Thanks for sharing Danny!

        -Jeremy

        Comment


          #5
          Hi,

          she is not a recipient of the IC as in the war of 1870/71 there were no female recipients of the Iron cross.



          Regards!

          Comment


            #6
            Thanks for the kind words guys.

            @ albertcher:
            That is why I knew the inscription could not be correct.

            I hate to think that her family would be disappointed to learn that she didn't get the Iron Cross, but I think it is only right that she would be remembered for her actual award, which is rare enough in it's own right.

            I also hope that her family still have and treasure her Verdienstkreuz für Frauen und Jungfrauen.

            Regards - Danny

            Comment


              #7
              she got the verdienstkreuz.

              alsager geb. gray, lived in london, england.

              widow.

              Comment


                #8
                I also hope that her family still have and treasure her Verdienstkreuz für Frauen und Jungfrauen.

                I have my doubts ... I have seen cases of recipient die and relatives to dispose of everything.

                Comment

                Users Viewing this Thread

                Collapse

                There is currently 1 user online. 0 members and 1 guests.

                Most users ever online was 10,032 at 08:13 PM on 09-28-2024.

                Working...
                X