Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War 1917 ‘Battle of Messines’ M.M., 1916 ‘Somme’ Croix de Guerre group of five awarded to Corporal G. Stanley, 1st Auckland Regiment and New Zealand Machine Gun Corps

Military Medal, G.V.R. (12-3159 Pte. G. Stanley. 1/Auckland: R.); 1914-15 Star (12/359 Cpl. G. Williams [sic] N.Z.E.F.); British War and Victory Medals (12/3159 Cpl. G. Williams [sic] N.Z.E.F.); France, Third Republic, Croix de Guerre, reverse dated ‘1914-1916’, mounted for wear, light contact marks overall, therefore generally very fine (5) £700-900

M.M. London Gazette 16 August 1917. The original recommendation states:

‘During the operations on the Messines Ridge (7th June 1917 - 9th June 1917). For his devotion to duty in carrying ammunition and water through heavy shell fire throughout the whole operation.’

France, Croix de Guerre London Gazette 1 May 1917. The original recommendation states:

‘On 27th September 1916, his Battalion attacked Grid Trench in the vicinity of Fleurs. In many places the wire in front of this trench was uncut and for a time the assault was held up under heavy fire. At one of these places Corporal Stanley, although only a private at the time, rushed forward alone and threw bombs into the enemy trench and by his brave action set his immediate portion of the assaulting line moving forward again. To show the kind of fire under which this was accomplished I may state that out of 120 men of the Company to which Corporal Stanley was attached only 40 came out unhurt.’

G. Stanley (not ‘Williams’ as erroneously named on campaign awards) was born in Invercargill, New Zealand, in 1894. He enlisted in the 1st Battalion, Auckland Regiment, 16 June 1915. Stanley served during the Great War in the French theatre of war from June 1916, and was subsequently attached to No. 1 Company, New Zealand Machine Gun Corps. He returned to New Zealand in the S.S. Ruapehu, 27 July 1919, and was discharged 26 August 1919. Stanley died in October 1966.

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