WW1 Pair; 5465 Private Alfred BONIFACE 1/4th Suffolk Regiment

Medals are in great uncleaned condition with original ribbons, Alfred BONIFACE served for 2 years before being discharged with wounds

Recipient: 5465 Pte A. Boniface, 1/4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment

Group: British War Medal (BWM) & Victory Medal — the classic “WW1 Pair”

Condition: Very good, uncleaned patina with original ribbons. Naming impressed on rims as issued.

Service note: Alfred BONIFACE served c. 2 years and was discharged with wounds

What this pair represents

Most Great War soldiers who served overseas from 1916 onward qualified for the British War Medal and the Victory Medal together — commonly called “the Pair”. The BWM was awarded for service in a theatre of war or overseas between 1914–1920, while the Victory Medal was issued to those who entered a theatre of war and helped secure the Allied victory. When all three main campaign medals (adding the 1914 or 1914–15 Star) were earned, the trio was nicknamed “Pip, Squeak & Wilfred” in the 1920s press; a pair like this indicates overseas service but not the early-war Star entitlement.

The regiment & battalion

Pte Boniface served in the 1/4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment — a Territorial Force battalion that went to France in November 1914, joining the Jullundur Brigade (3rd Lahore Division) on the Western Front. Later, the 1/4th became Pioneers to the 58th (2/1st London) Division, working in and near the front lines on vital engineering, trench and infrastructure tasks while under fire. During the war the Suffolk Regiment suffered heavy losses (over 6,800 killed).