LEONARD COUCH DCM |
The award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal to 173376 Sergeant Leonard Couch of the 21st Heavy Battalion, the Royal Garrison Artillery was gazetted and his citation published 2 September 1919. He was aged 26 at the time.
Leonard Couch is believed to have been the son of Edwin and Alice Couch who lived in various places in the Barnstaple area. He is believed to have been born in Westleigh in the March Quarter of 1893.
He married Olive Bourne in Ilfracombe in March 1916. |
From The London Gazette 2 September 1919 "During the retreat after 9 April 1918, he did exceptionally good work. At one time his gun was the only one in action. On 11 April, his gun was in action from dawn till about noon, during which time he fired about 415 rounds. The next day, he fired again as many rounds in about the same time. Later, when his gun was destroyed by a premature discharge and he was badly shaken and burnt himself, he persisted in attending to the rest of the detachment before his own wounds were dressed. He set a splendid example to his men at all times." |
The "retreat after 9th April 1918" referred to in the citation was the Battle of the Lys. There is a full account of this fairly futile event at http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_lys.html
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© M.E. Brine. This page last updated
31 July, 2009
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