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

Memorial Plaque (2) (John Percy Crewe; Walter Joseph Fink) significant verdigris to first, glue residue to reverse of both, fine and better (2) £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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John Percy Crewe was born in Lancashire in 1895 and attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 3 December 1915. Disembarked at Rouen as Private 27 July 1916, he was wounded in action on 18 October 1916 and admitted to hospital the following day with a shrapnel wound to the arm. Rejoining his unit on 11 February 1917, he suffered a gunshot wound to the right shoulder on 15 April 1917 and was killed in action whilst serving as Lance Corporal on 10 April 1918. He is commemorated upon the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

Walter Joseph Fink was born in Kimberley in 1895 and attested for the 1st South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 3 September 1915. Posted to the Western Front as Private, he suffered a gunshot wound to the hand at Etaples on 14 April 1917. Evacuated to England per H.S. St Andrew, Fink recovered from his injury and was accidentally drowned alongside 3 comrades whilst boating on the River Thames on 19 July 1917. He is buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery.

Sold with copied service records.