Friday 8 February 2013

Three DCM's Hull Daily Mail August 1st 1917



Transcription of the article above. Sgt J Carney was my great uncle (see page on the Carney brothers)

Well Merited Honours
Three East Yorkshire DCM's
The following additional details of the deeds that won for three men of the East Yorkshire Regiment the DCM
(just gazetted) have been furnished by an officer of the regiment:-

Sergt J Carney
Sergt. Carney is a fine type of non-commissioned officer. He proved himself a terror to enemy snipers. They had a lot of men on this job, and and they had established a network of sniping posts in front of us they were able to give us much trouble as we advanced. On his own initiative Sergt Carney organised a party of men to go forward and deal with these pests. He had to lead his party under heavy machine gun fire as well as the incessant sniping. He was absolutely fearless. He dashed forward from point to point, routing out the snipers one by one. At one time he was absolutely alone against a party of active snipers, who were trying their hardest to get him
His coolness was beyond praise. He kept steadily at work, and finally had the satisfaction of knowing that the snipers were all killed or driven off. His work facilitated our advance at that point, an he undoubtedly save many lives by his plucky act.
Drummer G S Morris
The battalion was in a tight corner. It was necessary to keep up constant communication with headquarters, and for reasons that I need not name the only way to o this was by sending messengers through the enemy fire. On four occasions Drummer Morris volunteered for this dangerous task. On the occasion when I saw him he had to run the gauntlet of heavy fire from sniper's posts, from machine guns, and from the enemy's barrage. He carried his life in his hand, but he never hesitated for a fraction of a second. He dashed through it all with a courage that was amazing. He is a fine soldier and the company is proud of him
Sergt R Hill
If ever there was a case of a soldier risking his life deliberately to make things easier for comrades it was the case of Sergeant Hill. We were carrying out difficult operations under heavy fire. In particular we suffered from machine guns posted close to the trench we were attacking. Sergeant Hill organised a party of bombes, whom he led right up to the enemy's position. Standing in full view of the enemy and under considerable fire he began to bomb the enemy trenches, and inflicted very heavy losses on the enemy. His example was an inspiration to the men under him, and it was mainly through the effective work of his party that our task was made so much easier at that point