A Second War Kaiser-I-Hind and Order of St. John group of three awarded to Isabel, Lady...

A Second War Kaiser-I-Hind and Order of St. John group of three awarded to Isabel, Lady Tennant, who previously served during the Great War with the Women's Royal Naval Service, employed as a Decoder in the Intelligence Office at Granton Naval Base

Kaisar-I-Hind, G.V.R., 2nd class, 2nd type, silver, with integral top brooch bar; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Commander’s (Sister’s) shoulder badge, silver and enamel, with heraldic beasts in angles, on lady’s bow riband; Service Medal of the Order of St John (3830 I. L. Tennant. 10 Dist. India S.J.A.B. O. 1944.) nearly extremely fine (3) £400-£500

---

Kaiser-I-Hind Gazette of India 31 December 1946:

Order of St. John, Commander (Sister) London Gazette 29 July 1948.

Isabel Leslie, Lady Tennant was born Isabel Leslie Adams at Aberdeen on the 7 November 1894, the daughter of Hector Maiben Adam, the Minister of Bon Accord United Free Church, and was educated at St. Margaret's School, Aberdeen, and Aberdeen High School. She applied to join the Women’s Royal Naval Service in June 1918 and having passed her initial training as a 'Decoder' at Portsmouth on 15 July 1918, was appointed Assistant Principal (Sub-Lieutenant) on the Staff of the SNO Granton (Scotland) where she was employed as a 'Decoder', being subsequently recommended for promotion by her commanding officer: ’This officer has been engaged in the Intelligence Office through which passes all signals, cyphers and telegrams in connection with the Base and the movements of HM Ships attached here. This work is of great importance and very responsible, and information is continually being asked from other Stations on Service matters. During the whole time, this Officer has been attached to this Base she has shown great intelligence and initiative in carrying out these important duties, which she has performed in a highly satisfactory manner, and I consider she is most deserving of this promotion’. Graded with such exemplary character and conduct, Miss Adams was promoted Deputy Principal (Lieutenant) on 18th March 1919. Her role as a 'Decoder' in the Intelligence Office at SNO Granton, would have encompassed the events prior to and following the surrender of the German High Seas Battle Fleet off the Firth of Forth on 21st November 1918, the surrender being monitored by the Intelligent Office at the nearby SNO Granton command.

Miss Adam’s appointment and service with the Women’s Royal Naval Service terminated on 19 August 1919 on the disbandment of the W.R.N.S., following which she returned to Aberdeen, before proceeding to India where she married fellow Aberdonian William Robert Tennant (later Sir William, C.I.E.), a gazetted officer of the Indian Civil Service whose memoirs ‘Service under the British Raj 1916-1947’ are lodged at the British Library, on 21 January 1925. Remaining in India for the next twenty years, with her husband’s career seeing him serve successively as Deputy Accountant General, Bombay; Accountant General, Bombay; and Acting Auditor General of India, during the Second World War Mrs. Tennant worked tirelessly with the Indian Red Cross and St. John Ambulance Service, for which services she was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind in silver. Having been appointed a Serving Sister of the Order of St John in June 1941, she was promoted to Officer (Sister) in July 1944; and to Commander (Sister) in June 1948.

The Tennant family returned to Scotland following the independence of India, and settled in St. Andrews, Fife; for his services in India William Tennant was knighted in 1948. Lady Tennant died at Dundee on 14 December 1977.