244637 Robert Rothwell DSC.US Army Battery F 10th Field Artillery Regiment (d.26th Jul 1918) Whilst having a walk in St Peters Churchyard, Halliwell, Bolton, England I came across a US soldiers grave. It was the grave of Robert Rothwell, apart from Roberts name the only other inscriptions on the grave were, New Jersey, Corpl, 10 Field Art, 26th of July 1918. At first I thought that Robert was American born. Research has discovered that Robert was born in Bolton in 1889, he served in the Royal Field Artillery in the British Army for a number of years. He emigrated to the US at some time and enlisted in the US army shortly after America entered the Great War. Due to his military experience he was involved with training his comrades prior to their arrival in France. He was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, posthumously, the second highest gallantry award that could be bestowed on an American Soldier. The citation reads.
'The President of the United States of America, authorised by Act of Congress, July 9th 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross(Posthumously) to Corporal Robert Rothwell, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Battery F, 10th Field Artillery, 3d Division A.E.F. near Greves Farm, France, 15th of July 1918. Responding to a call for volunteers, Corporal Rothwell, with eight other soldiers, manned two guns of a French battery which had been deserted by the French during the unprecedented fire after many casualties had been inflicted on their forces. For two hours he remained at his post and poured an effective fire into the ranks of the enemy'.
Robert's brother, Thomas Rothwell had Robert's body re-interred in St Peters Churchyard on 11th of February 1922.
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