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Cpl. John Wallace DCM MID
British Army 148 Company Machine Gun Corps
from:31 Sturges Street, Sheffield
My grandfather,John Wallace, served throughout the Great War. He was in 1/4 Battalion The Hallamshires of the Territorial Army before the war and was mobilised at the outbreak of war.
He sailed, with his battalion, for France on 13th April 1915 and served with his battalion (he was 2251 Pte J Wallace, York and Lancaster Regiment) as a machine gunner until transferred to 148 Company of the newly formed Machine Gun Corps on 31st January 1916. On 7th July 1917, during the Battle of The Somme, he was in a particularly fierce action near the small village of Thiepval, which was on, or near, the extreme left of the line, during which he remained in captured German positions to give covering fire to his retreating comrades during a German counter attack. During this action his cousin, who was part of his gun team, was killed and this left him to operate the gun alone for as long as he could. Eventually, he had to destroy the gun, which had become inoperable, with a grenade and make his way back after his comrades. The war diary for 148 Company records his action in its entry for 17th August 1916.
For his brave conduct throughout this particular action he was awarded the DCM. He had, previously, been Mentioned in Despatches at least twice. Strangely, his entry in the London Gazette, recording his DCM award, incorrectly identifies him as still belonging to York and Lancs Regiment and with his old number. He was eventually transferred to "Z" class reserve on 28th February 1919.
After the war, he married and had two children - a son and a daughter - and he died in 1947.
