Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Bilingual Victory 1914-19 (4) (Pte. H. B. Castle. 1st. S.A.I.; Pte. W. Lambourne. 1st. S.A.I.; L/Cpl. W. E. H. Sterley. 1st. S.A.I.; Pte. C. S. Symons 1st. S.A.I.) glue residue to the reverse of all, very fine and better (4) £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.

View
Collection

Harold Birks Castle was born in Maitland, Cape Province, in 1887, and attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 25 August 1915. Posted to Egypt from 29 December 1915 to 14 April 1916, he transferred to the Western Front and was killed in action on 17 July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. He is commemorated upon the Thiepval Memorial.

William Lambourne was born at Sutton Courtney, Berkshire, around 1879, and attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 29 September 1916. Described as a detective (Professional, ex Govt), and declaring former service during the Boer War with the 22nd Imperial Yeomanry and Cape Mounted Police, he joined his unit in France on 11 February 1917 and was killed in action on 9 April 1917. He is buried at Point-du-Jour Military Cemetery, Athies.

William Edward Henry Sterley was born in Port Elizabeth in 1896 and attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 22 November 1915. Posted to the Western Front, he suffered a gunshot wound to the right foot on 18 October 1916. Evacuated to England per H.S. Asturias, the wound ended his campaign and he was demobilised at Maitland on 5 May 1919, his future address noted as ‘Mohales Hoek, Basutoland.’

Charles Sylvester Symons was born in Burghersdorp in 1895 and attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 2 September 1915. Posted to the Western Front, his service record notes that he was recorded as missing in action during the Battle of the Somme on 18 October 1916. His death was later confirmed in March 1917 and he is commemorated upon the Thiepval Memorial.

Sold with copied service records for all four recipients.