The Bernard Harris Collection of Medals to the 1st Regiment, South African Infantry

Bilingual Victory 1914-19 (5) (Sjt. E. J. Cook. 1st. S.A.I.; Sjt. A. V. Tilley. 1st. S.A.I.; Pte. C. L. Dreyer. 1st S.A.I.; Pte. G. R. H. Furmage. 1st. S.A.I.; Pte. J. P. Spies. 1st. S.A.I.) glue residue to the reverse of all, very fine and better (5) £100-£140

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

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Ernest James Cook was born in Middlesex, England, around 1883, and attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 30 August 1915. Posted to the Western Front, he suffered a compound fracture to the lower jaw in October 1916 and was evacuated to the South African Hospital at Richmond Park. Returned to active service, he was killed in action on 21 March 1918 on the opening day of the German Spring Offensive; confirmation of this was later made by the Geneva Red Cross. Cook is commemorated upon the Pozieres Memorial.

Albert Victor Tilley was born in Wolverhampton and attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Cape Town on 5 February 1917. Posted to the Western Front 20 May 1917, he received a severe gunshot wound to the right thigh on 1 June 1918 and was evacuated home to England a short while later.

Christian Lawrence Dreyer was born in Kroonstadt and initially witnessed service with Robert’s Horse and the 6th Maitland Mounted Rifles in German South West Africa. He later attested for the 1st South African Infantry and disembarked at Tilbury Docks on 5 June 1918. Posted to the Western Front, he received a severe gunshot wound to the chest on 14 October 1918 and was sent to No. 48 Casualty Clearing Station; he died a few days later on 25 October 1918 and is buried in the Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension.

George Redvers Hope Furmage was born in Pietmaritzburg and initially served with the 9th South African Infantry from the spring of 1916 at Nimo River, East Africa. Struck down by malarial fever, he recovered and attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Johannesburg on 16 April 1917. Disembarked at Havre 10 October 1917, he was killed in action on 17 October 1917 on the Western Front. Aged 18 years, he is commemorated at Ors British Cemetery.

Jacobus P. Spies attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 3 September 1915. Posted to the Western Front, he received a gunshot wound to the right forearm on 15 July 1916 and another to the right wrist on 12 April 1917. Sent to hospital in Richmond and Eastbourne, he was discharged at Bordon in October 1918.

Sold with copied service records for all five recipients.