FOR VALOUR IN WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 284, 20 August 1918, Page 5

FOR VALOUR IN WAR

— $ HOW FIVE NEW V.C.'5 WERE WON THE SUPREME SACRIFICE 'A' Supplement to a Tecent issue of the (London "Gazette" contains the names of flvo officors and men.to whom tilt Victoria Cross had been awarded. In the .ease of two of the officers tho awards ■wero unfortunately /posthumous, both having been killed after tho incidents , which won them their merited distinction. As Though on Parade. Lieutenant (A.i Cant.) Eric Stuart Dougall, M.C., lato Ii.F.A. (S.K.). * For riiost conspicuous bravery and skilfull leadership in the field when in command of his battery. Captain Dougall maintained his guns in action from early morning throughout a heavy concentration ■ of, gas and high-exnlosivo .shell, rinding' that he could not clear tho crest owing to the withdrawal of our line, Captain. Dongall ran his guns oji to the top of the ridge to fire over open sights. .By this- time our infantry had been pressed back in lino with the guns. Captain Dougall at onco assumed v command of the situation, rallied and • organised tho infantry, supplied them •with Lewis guns, and armed as many Runners as ho could spare with rifles. With theso he formed a line in front of bis battery, which (luring 'this • period was harassing the advancing enemy with a Tapid rato of fire. Although exposed to both rifle and machine-gun fire, this officer fearlessly walked about 'as though . on parade, calmly giving orders, and en-, couragihg everybody.'. Ho inspired tlio infantry , with his assuranco that "So long as you stick to your trendies, I will • keep my guns' here.':' This lino was main- • tained throughout tho day, thereby laying tlio .enemy's advance fcr over twelve hours. In the evening, having expended all ammunition, the battery' received orders to withdraw. This was

dono by man-handling the guns over a distance of about SOO yards of shsllcratered country, an almost impossible feat considering the ground , and the intense machine-gun fire. Owing, to Captain Dougall's personality and skilful leadership thronshout this frying .day there is no doubt that'a serious breach in our line w r -is averted. This gallnnt officer was killed four days , later whilst directing the fire of his battery. ' Firing the Instantannous Fuse. • T./2nd Lieutenant Cecil Leonard Knox, R.E. For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. Twelve bridges wero entrusted to this officer for demolition, and all 'of them were successfully destroyed. In the case of one steel girder bridge, the destruction of which he personally supervised, tho time, fuse failed to act. Without li.esitntion.2ml Lieutenant Knox , Tan to the bridge, under heavy rifle and 'machine-Sinn fire, and when'the enemy wero actually on the bridge he tore away f • the-time fuse and lit the instantaneous fuse, to do which he had to get under ' tile bridic. This was an net of the highest devotion to duty, entailing the gravest risks, which, as n practical civil en- . gineer, he fully realised: Capturing Enemy Guns. T./2nd Lioutenant Eldest 'Frederick Beal, late Yorks, R. , For most conspicuous bravery, and determined leading when in command of a company detailed to-occupy a'certain eection of trench. Whan the company was established it' was found that a con» siderable gap of about -100 yards existed between the ; left flank of the company . and .thOp, neighbouring unit, and that this gap it-as strongly 1 held by .the enemy. It was of vital importance that the gap ehould be cleared, but no troops, wero t,hen available. Organising a small jarty of less than a dozen men, i.e led them against tho enemy. On reaching an enemy machine-gun, 2nd Lieutenant Beal immediately sprang forward, aud ivith his revolver killed tho team mid captured tho gun. Continuing along the trench he encountered and dealt with another mnchine-gun in the same manner, and in all captured four ontmy guns, and inflicting severe . casualties. Later in the ovening, when a wounded man had been left in the open under heavy onemy fire, he, regardless of dnni gcr, walked up close to an enemy ma-chine-gun and brought in the wounded man on his back. 2nd Lieutenant Beal was killed by a shell on the following morning.

The Lone Hand, No. G2,9!)0 Pte. (A./L./Corpl.) Arthur Henry Cross, M.G. Corps (Cnmberwell). . For most conspicuous bravery and initiative. Lance-Corporal Cross volunteered to mako a reconnaissance of the ■position of two machine-guns which had been captured by tho ''enemy, lie advanced singlc-h.anxled to tho enemy trench, and with his revolver forced

60ven of tho enemy to surrcndei and carry tho machine-guns with their trijxids and ammunition to our lines. He

thon handed over his prisoners, collcctcd teams for his guns, which 1m brought into action with exceptional dash ami ultill, annihilating a very heavy attilck by the enemy. ,jt is impossible to speaktoo highly of the extromo gallantry, initiative, and dash displayed by this Ji.c.o., who showed throughout foiir days of operations supremo dovotion to duty.

Stretcher-Bearer's Devotion. No. 203,590 Pte. Thomas Young, Durh. L.I. (High Spon, Co. Durham). . For most conspicuous bravery in face of tho enemy when acting as a stretcherbearer. Ifo showed throughout the wholo course of the operations a most magnificent examplo of courage and devotion to duty. On nino different occasions ho wont out in front of our lino iu_ broad daylight under heavy rifle, ma-chine-gun and eliell lire, which was directed on him, and brought back wounded to Bafety, those too badly wounded to be moved be'ore dressing ho drwaed under this harassing fire, and carried them unaided to oyr lines and tnl'cty; he rescued and saved nine lives in this manner. His untiring energy, coupled with an sluohito disregard of personal dans?«, .u.d iho great skill ho fihowed iii' dcullug imii casualties, is beyond all prml.ua. For five days I'rirato Yomif: woi-:t«l nnwosiwjiy, evacuating wounded ftorn eccmincly places.