The medals of a heroic seaman who saved comrades despite being shot in the backside during the Gallipoli campaign are being sold at auction.

Leading Seaman William Pierce was hit in an assault on enemy lines but stayed to cover the retreat of colleagues.

The then 22-year-old also carried an injured friend back over no-man's-land while exposed to machine-gun fire.

He was seen loading and reloading his rifle, firing bullets in rapid rounds.

Of the 450 men in the Howe Battalion of the Royal Naval Division who set out on the assault on Turkish and German lines only 55 returned.

William, of Eastbourne, East Sussex, returned to the front line after going to hospital in Egypt and received the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal.

He was also awarded the British Royal Navy Reserve medal, the 1914 Star and British War and Victory medals. The £20,000 lot will be sold at Noonans in Mayfair, Central London.

The medals were displayed in the Royal Marines Barracks in Kent before going to a private collector.

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Medals of Gallipoli seaman who saved comrades after being shot in backside to go on auction(https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/medals-gallipoli-seaman-who-saved-28903533)