Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Memorial Plaque (Charles Henry Perrem) mounted in old oak circular frame with brass fittings for display purposes, nearly extremely fine £80-£100

This lot is to be sold as part of a special collection, The Bernard Harris Collection of Medals to the 1st Regiment, South African Infantry.

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M.C. London Gazette 4 October 1919: T./2nd Lt. Charles Henry Perrem, 1st (Res.) Bn., S. African Infy.
‘During the operations east of Beaurevoir, from the 8th to 19th October, 1918, he displayed great energy and gallantry in maintaining communications. On all occasions, when the lines were cut and communication interrupted, he personally supervised the repairs under very heavy shell and machine-gun fire until severely wounded while at his duty.’

Charles Henry Perrem was born in Bath, Somerset, around 1887, the son of George and Caroline Perrem or 122 Hopkins Street, Johannesburg. Having witnessed 11 years of previous service with the Witwatersrand Rifles, he attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 17 September 1915 and embarked for England on 17 April 1916. Initially posted to the Western Front as a Corporal, he was later appointed to a commission via the Officer Training Corps at Oxford, returning to the trenches as Second Lieutenant on 21 September 1918. Struck in the back by shrapnel on 18 October 1918 during the action which resulted in the award of his Military Cross, he was evacuated to No. 48 Casualty Clearing Station but succumbed to the wound the following day. Aged 30 years, he is buried in the Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension.

Sold with copied service record and CWGC entries.