WW1 Trio South African 2nd SAI Casualty Halazin Egypt

 WW1 TRIO correctly named to recipient Lex Heathcote Bird. 1914-15 STAR named to Pte. L.H Bird 1st Infantry. WM & Bilingual VM named to Pte. L Bird 2nd SAI. Pro Patria medal with reverse inscribed "Presented by the Durban Recruiting Committee". Recipient served with the DLI with S/N: 699 from 1914 and saw service in G.S.W.A. On returning to the Union and being demobilized, he attested into the 2nd S.A.I with S/N: 3030 and saw service in Egypt with the Brigade. On 23.01.1916, the 2nd S.A.I were part of the Force that engaged Senussi Tribesmen at Halazin for almost six hours , before being able to drive them off into the desert. It was during this action that BIRD sustained a bullet wound to the left side of his chest, the bullet entering just below his left nipple and penetrated his lung. Lying on the battlefield seriously wounded, he was eventually removed and evacuated to Mersa Matrub, where he was operated on 3 days later at No. 21 General Hospital where the bullet was removed. He arrived back in Durban on 11.11.1916 and was discharged as an invalid on 25.11.1916 with a full pension. His brother, Thomas Cecil Bird was not as fortunate and became a casualty as a a result of the battle of Delville Wood.  He had been attached to the 2nd SAI and was just 23 years old when he was killed. Group is accompanied by extensive service papers and research with original postage medal envelope addressed to L.H BIRD.