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Auction: 21001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals (conducted behind closed doors)
Lot: 580

Three: Sapper J. Smith, South African Corps Signal Company, Royal Engineers

1914-15 Star (Pte J. G. Smith S.A.F.T. & P.C.) British War and bi-lingual Victory Medals (Spr. J. G. Smith. S.A.C.S.C.R.E.), very fine (3)

James George Smith enlisted as a Reservist in September 1914 and later on 8 August 1915 with the South African Field Telegraph & Postal Corps in Johannesburg. It is possible he saw action during the Boer Revolt however what is certain is that he was assigned to a Signal Company and it was with this unit that he was shipped to France on 21 April 1916. Smith later transferred to the South African Corps Signal Company, Royal Engineers, with the rank of Sapper. He served with distinction during the war being specifically mentioned in a dispatch from his commanding officer Captain Fosbraey (section 2 S.A.F.T.C.) to the Directory of Signals in Pretoria:

'The men did their work well and cheerfully on short rations, and at times owing to the nature of the work and the direction of the (route) the regular water holes and transport roads could not be used, and the men were in consequence often without water and food for considerable periods, yet the progress of the work did not in any way suffer....In this respect I have to mention the following...
Sapper Smith.'

He was demobilised in Cape Town on 27 June 1919. Following his discharge he suffered from medical trouble as a result of his service, with the unfortunate loss of several teeth; sold together with copied research including service records and citation.

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Sold for
£65

Starting price
£20