Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce Great War ‘Anzac Landing - Gaba Tepe’ D.S.M. group of five awarded to Chief Stoker J. Getsom, Royal Navy, for his gallantry whilst serving in one of H.M.S. London’s ‘landing’ boats, 25 April 1915, during which he was wounded in action whilst ferrying the 3rd Australian Brigade ashore

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (295438. J. Getsom. Sto. P.O., H.M.S. London.); 1914-15 Star (295438. J. Getsom D.S.M. S.P.O., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaves (295438 J. Getsom. Ch. Sto. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (295438. James Getsom, Sto. P.O. H.M.S. Vivid.) mounted for wear, light contact marks overall, generally very fine (5) £1,600-£2,000

D.S.M. London Gazette 16 August 1915:

‘For the landing of the Army on the Gallipoli Peninsula, 25th-26th April 1915.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 16 August 1915 (Dardanelles).

James Getsom was born in Stogursey, North Somerset in October 1881. He joined the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in May 1900, and advanced to Stoker Petty Officer in 1910. Getsom served during the Great War with H.M.S. London (battleship) from July 1914, and was present with her during the Dardanelles campaign.

Getsom distinguished himself, when the London took part in supporting the landing of the 3rd Australian Brigade at Gaba Tepe and Anzac Cove, 25 April 1915. Combined with the battleships Prince of Wales and Queen, the London was tasked with supporting the disembarkation of the Anzac force at the most northerly of the landing beaches. Getsom was one of those detailed to serve in the boats taking the soldiers ashore. Robert Rhodes James gives the following detail in Gallipoli:

‘Just before 3am on 25th April, along with Queen and Prince of Wales, London steamed slowly towards the Peninsula, followed by 12 ‘tows’ of small boats. The faint breeze died away, and the surface of the sea became as smooth as glass. At 3.30am the battleships stealthily came to a stop, and the ‘tows’ crept past them towards the invisible shore, now about two and a half miles away. The phosphorescence glistened from the bows of the boats... “The green water’s turned to black”, one Australian has related; “You only knew your comrades were with you in the same boat by the press of their swinging bodies against your shoulders and your ribs.”

The throb of the engines of the pinnaces seemed loud enough to alert every Turk on the Peninsula, whose forbidding outline was occasionally visible. The first faint streaks of dawn were touching the sky when the ‘tows’ were cast off some 50 yards from the shore and the 48 little boats crept towards it. The men had been sitting cramped and silent for nearly three hours, and the strain was intense; it seemed impossible that they could not have been seen. It came almost as a relief when a flare shot up from a low headland, a silhouetted figure on the skyline shouted a warning, and a scattered fire broke out.

Every boat landed where it could, the bullets striking sparks off the shingle, and the men splashed ashore.’

Getsom was wounded during the landing action. A total of 6 D.S.M.’s were awarded to the three battleships (two each) for acts of gallantry in landing the troops from the ship’s boats and removing the wounded. A further 18 D.S.M.’s were awarded for other operations on 25/26th, and 5 Victoria Crosses being awarded for gallantry with H.M.S. River Clyde.

Getsom advanced to Chief Stoker, and was posted to Wei-Hai-Wei in October 1916. He retired to pension in May 1922.