Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Corporal H. A. Smith, Royal Sussex Regiment and British Red Cross; discharged on account of his wounds in 1916, he subsequently served throughout 1918 as an instructor in Fancy Bag making, teaching interned Allied soldiers in Switzerland a civilian trade

1914 Star (9681 Pte. H. A. Smith. 2/R. Suss: R.); British War and Victory Medals (L-9661 Cpl. H. A. Smith. R. Suss. R.); together with a duplicate issue British War Medal 1914-20 (H. A. Smith.) very fine and better (4) £160-£200

Herbert Archibald Smith was born in Chichester, Sussex, on 25 July 1891 and attested for the Royal Sussex Regiment on 14 March 1911. He served with the 2nd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 12 August 1914, and was discharged on account of wounds on 13 September 1916, being awarded a Silver War Badge. He subsequently enrolled in the British Red Cross on 20 May 1918, and served with them during the latter stages of the Great War in Switzerland, as an instructor in fancy bag making, being erroneously awarded a duplicate British War Medal. He was discharged on 23 November 1918, and his profession on the 1939 Register is recorded as ‘fancy leather worker’.

Note: Classes in Fancy Bag making were established by the British Red Cross in Switzerland for interned Allied soldiers, and were just one of the training schemes offered - classes were also given in French polishing, piano-parts manufacturing, watch repairing, tailoring and leather work &c.. Originally established at Seeburg in February 1918, they moved later that year to Vevey, where the electrical and mechanical classes were held.

Sold with the recipient’s riband bar which indicates entitlement to the clasp to the 1914 Star; and copied research.