50
The Ypres Times.
He bayonetted one of the machine gun
crew and brought in another man, together
with the captured gun.
Cpl. Davies, although wounded, then led
a bombing party to the assault of a de
fended house, and killed a sniper who was
harassing his platoon. This gallant non
commissioned officer has since died of
wounds received during the attack.
Before joining up in 1914 the late Cpl.
Davies was a miner in the Wyndham
Collier}-, Ogmore Vale.
No. 15805 Sergeant A. LOOSEMORE,
8th Bn. West Riding Regiment.
For most conspicuous bravery and
initiative during the attack on a strongly
held enemy position.
His platoon having been checked by
heavy machine-gun fire, he crawled through
partially cut wire dragging his Lewis gun
after him and single-handed dealt with a
strong party of the enemy, killing about
twenty of them, and thus covering the
consolidation of the position taken up Ly
his platoon.
Immediately afterwards his Lewis gun
was blown up by a bomb, and three of the
enemy rushed for him, but he shot them
all with his revolver.
Later, he shot several enemy snipers,
exposing himself to heavy fire each time.
On returning to the original post lie also
brought back a wounded comrade under
heavy fire at the risk of his life. He dis
played throughout an utter disregard of
danger.
On another occasion he received the
IXC.M. for the following
When out with a fighting patrol his
officer was wounded and the platoon
scattered by bombs, but he rallied
the men and brought them back in
order, with all the wounded, to our lines.
On a subsequent occasion he handled his
platoon with great skill and a complete
disregard of his own danger under a heavy
machine-gun fire, and it was owing to his
determination and powers of leadership that
the platoon eventually captured the enemy
post which they were attacking.
His Majesty decorated Loosemore with
the Victoria Cross on January 2nd, 1918, at
Buckingham Palace, and also with the
D.C.M. at the Victoria Hall, Sheffield, on
May 20th, 1919.
On January 3rd, 1918, he was given a
civic welcome by the Lord Mayor, Alderman
Cattell, on behalf of the people of Sheffield.
The same evening he was presented with a
£10 War Bond and a wristlet watch by the
Lord Bishop of Sheffield on behalf of the
present scholars of the Clifford School,
Sharrow, where he was educated. At the
Victoria Hall on January 21st, 1920, he
was handed bonds for £1,000 on behalf of
the citizens of Sheffield by Earl Haig.
In September, 1918, he was badly
wounded, losing one leg and the other
badly injured. He is now confined entirely
to his bed, suffering from consumption.
Loosemore was one of seven soldier sons.
They all returned from the War, the V.C.
hero being the only one who lost a
limb.
