Royal Red Cross, 1st Class, Queen Victoria issue, 1883

At the time of the Crimean War (1854-1856) nurses were not considered eligible for campaign medals; the Zulu War 1879 was the first campaign in which their services would be so recognised. However, Florence Nightingale was among the first 31 recipients of the Royal Red Cross, instituted in 1883 as an award specifically to females for special devotion in nursing sick and wounded servicemen.