A CLASSIC & RARE "DELVILLE WOOD" (SOMME) CASUALTY,
6th & 1st SOUTH AFRICAN INFANTRY,
KILLED-IN-ACTION 18th JULY 1916
1914-15 TRIO & PLAQUE: (With Bi-Lingual Victory Medal)
To:
1147 Pte / Cpl W.H. GOODACRE.
6th & 1st SOUTH AFRICAN INFANTRY.
[HISTORY]
In March 1916 Pte William Hewlett GOODACRE was fighting in German East Africa and took part in the night attack at Store on 20th March. He was clearly in contact with the 129th BALUCHIS who were in action near the RUWU River as he brought back home a collar title from this action.

[TO FRANCE]
From his final home leave in the Cape Town area he set sail for the battlefields of Northern France from which he was sadly never to return.

[THE HORROR of DELVILLE WOOD]
As far as South Africa is concerned, Delville Wood occupies a near mythical status in military circles. It was certainly THE most costly action in which the South African forces took part on the Western Front. It was fought in July 1916 – and of the 3,153 men from the brigade who entered the wood, only 780 were present at the roll call after their relief.

The battle for Delville Wood was ultra costly for the 9th SA Division which had 7,517 casualties from 1–20 July, of which the 1st (South African) Infantry Brigade lost 2,536 men, one of whom was Pte William Hewlett GOODACRE.

[THE GERMAN PERSPECTIVE]
By the afternoon of 18 July, the fresh Branderberger Regiment had also engaged. A German officer wrote ;. " Delville Wood had disintegrated into a shattered wasteland of shattered trees, charred and burning stumps, craters thick with mud and blood, and corpses, corpses everywhere. In places they were piled four deep. Worst of all was the lowing of the wounded. It sounded like a cattle ring at the spring fair."

[VICTORIA CROSS]
On the day Will' Goodacre was killed (18th July 1916) Pte-Lt William Frederick Faulds VC MC won his Victoria Cross at Delville Wood
Pte William GOODACRE is commemorated with eternal honour at Delville Wood cemetery, Longueval.
INCLUDES ORIGINAL PLAQUE COVER, INTERNAL ENVELOPE & ROYAL LETTER OF CONDOLENCE.


The whole group is practically mint & totally original. Medals are with mint original ribbons.


& This excellent "Two Brothers" assembly includes the very scarce & interesting 1914-15 Trio:
(With Bi-Lingual Victory Medal)
To:
Spr L.C. GOODACRE,
S.A. FIELD TELEGRAPH & POSTAL CORPSwho survived the Great War.

An excellent family grouping of great South African historical & military interest. Fit for inclusion in any serious SA collection.

£1995.. ENQUIRIES & PART EXCHANGES WELCOME. Call: 01342-870926 or e-mail: dragonbrit@aol.com