Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

British War Medal 1914-20 (4) (2/Lt. I. Rees.; Pte. C. J. Bruton. 2nd S.A.I.; A/Sjt. H. Saunders. 2nd S.A.I.; Sjt. G. A. Stidworthy. 2nd S.A.I.) traces of adhesive to 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 2nd Regiment, South African Infantry.

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Ivor Rees was born in Middlesborough, Yorkshire, in 1893, and attested for the South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 17 August 1915. Posted to Egypt and France from 15 April 1916, he trained as an Officer Cadet at Cambridge in July 1917 and was granted a temporary commission in the South African Infantry (Reserve Battalion) on 30 October 1917. Returned to the Western Front on 15 December 1917 to 30 March 1918, his papers confirm evacuation to the South African Military Hospital, Richmond Park, as a result of a machine gun bullet wound to the right shoulder. He was later discharged at Maitland in 1919.

Corrie James Bruton served on the Western Front with “B” Company, 2nd South African Infantry, and suffered a shell contusion on 18 October 1916. He rejoined his unit in the spring of 1917 and suffered a severe gunshot wound to the shoulder and face near Etaples on 13 April 1917. Evacuated to Lewisham and Eastbourne convalescent hospital, he was discharged at Wynberg in January 1918.

Henry Saunders was born in London, England, around 1881, and served during the Boer War with the 3rd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. He attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Cape Town on 22 May 1917 and joined the 2nd Regiment on the Western Front from 11 November 1917 to 16 February 1918, before returning to England with ‘chest trouble’.

George Alfred Stidworthy was born in Starkstroom, Cape Colony, in 1892, and attested for the 2nd South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 5 January 1916. Posted to the Western Front, he suffered a severe gunshot wound to the face near St. Pol on 9 April 1917 and was evacuated to No. 20 General Hospital. His papers refer to an injury to his left eye at the same time and note that he was later promoted Sergeant on 11 September 1918. For his services during the Great War he was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 11 June 1919).

Sold with copied service records for all four recipients.