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

Three: Private W. Helfrich, 1st Regiment, South African Infantry

1914-15 Star (Pte. W. Helfrich 7th. Infantry.); British War and Bilingual Victory Medals, with small M.I.D. oak leaves (Pte. W. Helfrich. 1st. S.A.I.); together with the recipient’s Silver War Badge ‘S.A. 4491’, this additionally engraved to reverse ‘W. Helfrich’, minor patches of staining to obverse of VM, nearly extremely fine (4) £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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William Helfrich was born in King William’s Town in 1882, and attested at Potchefstroom for the 1st Regiment, South African Infantry on 2 September 1915, his papers noting 10 months prior service with the 2nd Kimberley Regiment. Posted to Egypt on 29 December 1915 and France from 15 April 1916, he was wounded in action during the Battle of the Somme. His medical notes add: ‘Wounded July 17th by bomb explosion, small wound on left temple, small perforating wounds left forearm. Wound underside left knee... small fragment removed from face wound.’

Admitted to hospital in Tooting, Helfrich spent the autumn of 1916 and winter of 1916-17 in convalescence at Eastbourne and Richmond. It was during this period that he would have learned of the award of his Mention in Despatches in the London Gazette of 4 January 1917. Discharged from hospital 6 March 1917, Helfrich returned home to South Africa and was released from further military service at Wynberg on 17 January 1918.

Sold with copied service record.