Michael James O'Rourke
Private, 7th Battalion. British Columbia Regiment. Canadian Expeditionary Force
- Register No.
- 949 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 7th Battalion. British Columbia Regiment. Canadian Expeditionary Force (register: 7th Battalion, CEF) all CEF VCs →
- Date of action
- 15–17 August 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 8th November 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Born
- 19th March 1878 at Limerick, Ireland
- Died
- 6th December 1957 at Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Memorial / grave
- at Forest Lawn Burial Park, North Burnaby, British Columbia
Digest of citation
Private O'Rourke was a stretcher bearer, who during the period 15th/17th August, 1917, worked continuously for the three days and nights bringing in the wounded to safety, dressing their wounds and supplying them with food and drink. During the whole of this period at Hill 60, Lens, France, the area around where he worked was continuously shelled and swept by heavy machine gun and rifle fire. He was, on several occasions, knocked from his feet and even partially buried by enemy shells. Seeing a blinded comrade, who was being sniped at by the enemy, stumbling around ahead of their trench, Private O'Rourke immediately leapt out and went to his aid, bringing the man back, all the time under sniper fire. On a later occasion he went forward once more, a distance of 50 yards ahead of our barrage: all the time under heavy and accurate fire from enemy machine guns and snipers and brought in another wounded comrade. Once again, when the posts were retired to consolidate, he made his way out, again under extremely heavy fire, to bring in a wounded man who'd been left behind. He showed an absolute disregard for his own safety whilst going to the aid of the wounded in spite of his own exhaustion and being continuously under heavy fire from the enemy
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
O'ROURKE, Michael James. (reg No. 949).
Private. 7th Battalion. British Columbia Regiment. Canadian Expeditionary Force.
London Gazetted on 8th November 1917.
Born on 19th March 1878 at Limerick, Ireland.
Died on 6th December 1957 at Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Memorial on grave at Forest Lawn Burial Park, North Burnaby, British Columbia.
Digest of Citation reads: Private O'Rourke was a stretcher bearer, who during the period 15th/17th August, 1917, worked continuously for the three days and nights bringing in the wounded to safety, dressing their wounds and supplying them with food and drink. During the whole of this period at Hill 60, Lens, France, the area around where he worked was continuously shelled and swept by heavy machine gun and rifle fire. He was, on several occasions, knocked from his feet and even partially buried by enemy shells. Seeing a blinded comrade, who was being sniped at by the enemy, stumbling around ahead of their trench, Private O'Rourke immediately leapt out and went to his aid, bringing the man back, all the time under sniper fire. On a later occasion he went forward once more, a distance of 50 yards ahead of our barrage: all the time under heavy and accurate fire from enemy machine guns and snipers and brought in another wounded comrade. Once again, when the posts were retired to consolidate, he made his way out, again under extremely heavy fire, to bring in a wounded man who'd been left behind. He showed an absolute disregard for his own safety whilst going to the aid of the wounded in spite of his own exhaustion and being continuously under heavy fire from the enemy.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Forest Lawn Burial Park, North Burnaby, British Columbia
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