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

British War Medal 1914-20 (3) (L/Cpl. M. Holtman. 1st. S.A.I.; Pte. F. H. Homan 1st. S.A.I.; Pte. W. H. Moss. 1st. S.A.I.) the first planchet only; Bilingual Victory 1914-19 (2) (Pte. G. A. Leak. 1st. S.A.I.; Pte. C. Tunbridge. 1st. S.A.I.) replacement suspension ring to Leak, this mounted from a base-metal watch chain and silvered, glue residue to reverse of all, generally nearly very fine and better (5) £80-£100

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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Martin Holtman was born in Cape Town and attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 13 August 1915. Posted to the Western Front, he was wounded in action at Delville Wood on 16 July 1916, his papers adding: ‘he was wounded in hand, several pieces were removed, but some pieces remained’.

Frank Hendry Homan was born in Potchefstroom in 1896 and witnessed initial service in East Africa with the Pretoria Regiment, 12th South African Infantry. He subsequently attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Johannesburg on 28 February 1917 and was wounded in action at Messines on 11 April 1918. His medical notes add: ‘T. & T. wound Ant. and Port. middle third Rt. Arm. Compound fracture humerus. Lacerated wound 2” back of arm. Discharge a deal. Musculo spiral and medium nerves involved.’

William Henry Moss was born in East London in 1896 and attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 2 September 1915. He was later captured by the Germans on the Somme battlefield on 24 March 1918, serving the remainder of the war at Darmstadt P.O.W. Camp. Repatriated 2 December 1918, he returned home to 27 Ward Street, Kimberley.

George Alan Leak was born in Cape Town and attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 28 August 1915. Initially posted to Egypt, he disembarked at Marseilles on 20 April 1916 and was soon in hospital suffering from influenza. Returned to the Western Front, he was killed in action on 18 July 1917 during the Battle of the Somme. The son of Frederick Lincoln Leak of Alandale Farm, Huguenot, Cape Province, he is commemorated upon the Thiepval Memorial.

Clement Tunbridge was born in Uitenhage in 1896 and attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 2 September 1915. Initially posted to Egypt, his service was marred by repeated bouts of illness associated with unclean water. Transferred to the Western Front, he was recorded as missing in action during the Battle of the Somme on 18 October 1916. His service papers record: ‘accepted as dead’ on 11 July 1917. Aged 20 years, he is commemorated upon the Thiepval Memorial.

Sold with copied service records for all five recipients.