WW1 Medal group - MSM - Delville Wood

Thomas Hudson attested as a twenty-three (23) volunteer on the 27^th August 1915 at Potchefstroom. At the time of

his attestation he was single and listed his trade as “shipping clerk”. He was posted to 1 South African Infantry Corps

(1SAI) as an infantryman. At the time, this unit was based in Potchefstroom. On the 29^th December 1915 he embarks on the ‘Saxonia’ and disembarks at Alexandria on the 12^th January 1916. He then travels to Marseilles and arrived there on the 20^th April 1916. He is wounded in action on the 18^th July 1916 at DELVILLE WOOD, near Longueval in

the Somme, after which he is taken to No 5 General Hospital (Rouen) and then sent to England via the ship “HS Marama”. He recovers from his injuries at the Victoria Hospital in Cork. His gunshot wound is to the right shoulder and he is only discharged 133 days later indicating the extent of the wound.  He is discharged because of this injury based on the finding of a Medical Board on the 02/12/1919. He is mentioned in a War Office Communique on the 13/08/1918 and awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) on the 04/06/1919. According to research approximately 300 MSM’s were awarded to South Africans which makes this combat group extremely rare. In fact, an MSM to a South African, wounded at Delville Wood and survived, mentioned in communique is a unique combination. He is mentioned on the Roll taken of South Africans at midnight on the 14/15^th July 1916.             

His medal group consists of the following medals:

a. British War Medal – Correctly inscribed and confirmed in his records.

b. Victory Medal – Correctly inscribed and confirmed in his records.

c. Meritorious Service Medal – Correctly inscribed and confirmed in his records

A full copy of his records also accompanies this sale.

PLEASE NOTE: Only SA Bidders who can access Bobpay should bid as I only post within SA. Postage will only be speed services at R80.00.