Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Gallipoli operations C.G.M. group of five awarded to Sergeant J. G. Way, Royal Marine Light Infantry, who was decorated for his gallantry with the Royal Naval Division at Achi Baba on 13 July 1915

Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, G.V.R. (PO.4356. Lce. Corp. J. G. Way, R.M.L.I. Po. Bn. R.N. Div.); 1914 Star with clasp (PO.4356 Pte. J. G. Way, R.M. Brigade); British War and Victory Medals (PO.4356 Sgt. J. G. Way. R.M.L.I.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (PO.4356. J. G. Way, Private. R.M.L.I.) mounted court-style, nearly extremely fine (5) £10,000-£14,000

C.G.M. London Gazette 13 September 1915: ‘The following awards have been approved for services in the Gallipoli peninsula:

Lance-Corporal John Gibson Way, R.M.L.I., Po. 1356 / R.F.R. B. 487/Portsmouth Battalion.

For his services on the 13th July, when he exhibited great courage, presence of mind and powers of personal leadership in a moment of crisis in assisting Major Sketchley to turn a retreat into a successful advance.’

John Gibson Way was born at Ryde in the Isle of Wight on 21 January 1875, and joined the Royal Marine Light Infantry as a Bugler at Gosport in April 1889, aged 14. Having then completed his 12-year term of service, he transferred to the Royal Fleet Reserve and was a regular attendee of annual drills in the lead up to the Great War.

Duly mobilised on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was assigned to the R.M. Brigade and served with the Royal Naval Division at Ostend, Dunkirk and Antwerp in August-October 1914.

Next embarked for the Dardanelles as a Lance-Corporal, he first served in Gallipoli between April-May 1915, when he was wounded on the first day of the latter month. But it was for his second tour of duty on the peninsula that he was awarded the C.G.M., when, as orderly to Major E. F. P. Sketchley, R.M.L.I., he displayed great gallantry at Achi Baba on 13 July 1915. The citation for Sketchley’s subsequent award of the D.S.O., as published in the London Gazette on 13 September 1915, states:

‘For services during operations south of Achi Baba where a retreat began and rapidly developed, which might have had very serious consequences. Major Sketchley who was in the supports, assisted by Lance-Corporal J. G. Way, prevented some of the men from retiring further. He then gathered together about forty of them and leading them forward, re-occupied some of the trenches. He returned twice to gather more men and collecting in all about 100, retook further trenches, took 40 prisoners and secured the position. He exhibited great courage, presence of mind and powers of personal leadership in a moment of crisis.’

Britain's Sea Soldiers, by Cyril Field, adds further detail:

‘Major Sketchley, R.M.L.I., seeing the 157th [Brigade] pulling back, rallied them and led them, with some marines of Plymouth Battalion over the parapet to reoccupy the trenches they had lost, at the point of a bayonet. He himself was armed with only his fly whisk, which he waved over his head as he charged. For his gallantry, he was awarded the D.S.O. and his orderly Lance-Corporal J. G. Way, R.M.L.I., who had stuck close to his side the whole time, the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal.’

Way, in fact, was wounded by shrapnel in his left hand, but whether that wound was the reason for his embarkation for the U.K. in August remains unknown. Back home, he served at the gunnery establishment Vernon - and elsewhere - and was advanced to Sergeant in August 1917, a month before adding the L.S. & G.C. medal to his accolades. He was demobilised in May 1919.

Sold with a good quantity of original documentation, including the recipient’s Parchment Certificates of Service (2); Royal Marines Third Class Certificate of Education, dated 20 June 1892; Parchment Certificate of Discharge, dated 24 January 1905; Certificate for Wounds and Hurts, dated 9 August 1916 but in respect of his hand wound in Gallipoli on 13 July 1915, and Certificate of Demobilisation, dated 16 April 1919.