A FINE AND VERY SCARCE NEW ZEALAND ‘BATTLE OF THE SELLE RIVER’ 1918 D.C.M. AWARDED TO A PRIVATE OF THE 1ST OTAGO INFANTRY REGIMENT, WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN WOUNDED DURING THE 1916 BATTLE OF THE SOMME

DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL GV ‘ 8-2790 PTE G.J.NESBIT. 1/OTAGO R’, 1914-1915 STAR ‘8/2790 PTE. G.J. NESBIT. N.Z.E.F.’, BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS ‘8/2790 PTE. G.J. NESBIT. N.Z.E.F.’

D.C.M. London Gazette 3 June 1919. The Original citation states:

"For marked gallantry during active operations from 1st October onwards, particularly on 23rd October 1918, near Vertignuel, as Company Runner. He first accompanied a reconnoitring party, and under heavy machine-gun fire he carried back information to his company commander which enabled the company to assemble successfully. Throughout the day he continually carried messages, under heavy fire, from his company headquarters to his leading platoon commander."

George James Nesbit was born in Nelson, New Zealand on 9 June 1892 and enlisted into the 1st Battalion, Otago Infantry Regiment on 17 April 1915, stating previous service in H Battery, New Zealand Field Artillery. Embarking overseas on 14 August 1915, he joined he battalion at Lesmos on 1 October, where it was recuperating, before returning to Gallipoli on 9 November. Evacuated from Gallipoli in December 1915, the battalion arrived in Egypt before embarking for France in April 1916.

Official History of the Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F. in the Great War 1914-1918:

https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH1-Otag-t1-front-d5.html

Nesbit was wounded in the leg during the battle of the Somme, September 1916, papers noting date of wound not known. However he was admitted to hospital on 19 September so presumably within a day of this date. He was evacuated to England, returning to France on 15 April 1918 and on 11 May joined 8 Company, 2nd Battalion, Otago Infantry Regiment but transferred back to the 1st Battalion on 30 May. Nesbit would be awarded the D.C.M. for his gallantry shown on multiple occasions during October 1918 and especially during the battle of Selle River on 23 October.

Discharged from the army on 29 March 1919, he died in Nelson on 12 October 1966.

A photograph of Private Nesbit can be viewed here:

https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C51730

Condition VF. Sold with copy service papers (digital).

A scarce D.C.M. group with a fine citation, one of just 398 D.C,M.’s awarded to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during WW1.