The Bernard Harris Collection of Medals to the 4th Regiment, South African Infantry

Bilingual Victory Medal 1914-19 (4) (L/Cpl. E. C. Baker. 4th S.A.I.; L/Cpl. W. G. Birch. 4th S.A.I.; L/Cpl. A. H. Dixon. 4th S.A.I.; Pte. N. J. Thomson. 4th S.A.I.) glue residue to the reverse of all medals, very fine and better (4) £80-£100

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bernard Harris Collection of Medals to the 4th Regiment, South African Infantry.

View
Collection

Ernest Cecil Baker was born in Kimberley and attested for the 4th South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 24 November 1915. Posted to France 29 June 1916, his papers record that he suffered a gunshot wound to the head and right hand in December 1917. Evacuated to the Royal Victoria Hospital, he was later discharged at Maitland on 28 May 1919.

William Garcia Birch was born in the Transvaal in 1896 and attested for the 4th South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 20 August 1915. Disembarked at Marseilles 20 April 1916, he was appointed Lance Corporal on 11 June 1916, and died of wounds received in action at No. 23 General Hospital, Etaples, on 19 July 1916. He is buried at Etaples Military Cemetery, France.

Alfred Hollings Dixon was born in Johannesburg on 1894 and attested for the 4th South African Infantry at Potchefstroom on 16 September 1915. Disembarked at Rouen on 25 July 1916, he joined the Regiment on the Western Front on 1 August 1916 and was killed in action on 17 October 1916. He is buried at Warlencourt British Cemetery, France.

Nicholas Johannes Thomson was born in Richmond, Cape Province, around 1896, and attested for the 4th South African Infantry on 24 March 1917. Embarked at Cape Town per Euripidies on 20 April 1917, his papers state that he suffered a severe shrapnel wound to the arm on 5 April 1918. Evacuated from the Western Front, he was discharged at Maitland in November 1919.

Sold with copied service records for all four recipients.