Orders, Decorations and Medals

A scarce ‘Alexandretta’ Naval Landing Party D.S.M. group of four awarded to Gunner W. G. Stocker, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (220505 W. G. Stocker, P.O. H.M.S. Doris); 1914-15 Star (P.O. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Gnr., R.N.) nearly extremely fine (4) £500-600

D.S.M. London Gazette 10 April 1915: ‘For services rendered whilst attached to a landing party from H.M.S. Doris at Alexandretta on the 6th and 7th January 1915.’ Only five D.S.M.’s awarded.

Since December 1914, the cruiser Doris had been engaged in operations against large concentrations of Turkish troops around Alexandretta on the coast of Syria, systematically harrying the coast route. On 5th January 1915, she tried to land a party to destroy the Mersina railway bridge, but they were detected. Captain Larkyn, therefore, recalled them, and had to be content with wrecking the bridge by shell fire. On the following day a double landing party was put ashore at Jonah’s Pillar, where on her previous visit the Doris had destroyed the bridge. Here the telegraph and railway lines were cut, and the timber which had been collected to repair the bridge was used as fuel for a fire to twist the rails. All was done in the face of sharp opposition from the railway patrols, and the next day (the 7th) a party was beaten back to the boats with the loss of one killed and one wounded. The bridge was afterwards dealt with by the ship’s guns.

Gunner W. G. Stocker died aboard H.M.S. Cameleon on 9 June 1917, and is buried in Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery, Malta.