Hi Milly
No luck I'm afraid with Toft, Knight or McBrides
The Reporter relied on reports from rellies, and if your rellies didn't get the Reporter they would have no reason to send it in
Not giving up yet though
And Annie, here's a St Francis' boy who appears to have made it
as I can't see him on CWGC or BMD
BRAVE UNDER FIRE
Gorton Soldier Awarded D.C.M
MENTIONED THREE TIMES
Rescued Wounded Comrade at Great Risk
There is not a prouder woman than Mrs. Rowlinson of 30 Napier Street, Gorton, for her soldier son, Lance Corporal John Rowlinson, of the 1st Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancasters, after being recommended three times for the Distinguished Conduct Medal, has been awarded the coveted decoration. The news has also been received with much delight by the clergy and congregation of St. Francis', Gorton, where Lance Corporal Rowlinson was well known and admired. He was educated at the Day School in connection with the Church, and Mrs Rowlinson has received a letter from the headmaster conveying his and the teachers' hearty congratulations on her son's achievement. Prior to being called up as a Reservist Rowlinson worked as a crane driver at the Great Central Railway Company's works at Gorton.
Lance Corporal Rowlinson was gassed on May 2nd (1915) and after being carefully nursed back to health at the military hospitals at Oxford and Henley, he came home recently on a seven day furlough, and had only just returned to his depot when the news was received that he had won the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
The 'Gazette' says the award was made to him
'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty of mending telephone wires under fire in the open , behind the trenches near Le Touquet'
In a letter to his mother, Lance Corporal Rowlinson describes several of the incidents which led to his bravery being officially recognised. He wrote:-
'Since I arrived in France I have had a pretty tough time. There are only 100 left of the men who first came out. Our regiment has had some hard knocks. Our trench is only 30 yards from the Germans, and you can understand it is not much use for any of us to put our heads above the top of the trench, for we would soon get knocked over by a bullet. It was here I got recommended for the second time for bravery. One of my comrades got shot in the side, and I ran out and carried him to safety, but the poor fellow died about ten minutes afterwards. The first time I was recommended for the D.C.M. was at Meteren. I ran out, under a heavy fire to a man who had been slightly wounded in the foot. Another man helped me to carry him to safety. The officer told me he had recommended me not only for rescuing a wounded man, but also for my coolness under fire "the whole day." '
Lance Corporal Rowlinson also describes the work he had been doing in laying telegraph and telephone wires. 'It is a risky job mending wires and laying new ones. I generally go out at night to do my work, but the bullets keep whizzing past.'
(Gorton Reporter 10th July 1915)