Throughout the First World War, the many announcements of British and Commonwealth gallantry awards appeared in the various issues of The London Gazette. As part of our major monthly series covering the period of the Great War commemorations, we examine some of the actions involved and summarise all of the awards announced in October 1917.
AS LORD Ashcroft points out in his account of Private (later Captain) William Boynton Butler VC, sacrifice was undoubtedly one of the driving forces behind the action. However, at least one of the eight other Victoria Crosses gazetted in October 1917 was of a similar nature. Born in Glenmavis, North Lanarkshire, on 1 April 1893, John Carmichael enlisted into the Lowland Engineers on 8 June 1915. Realising that he would see little chance of immediate action in this unit, he transferred to the infantry and was posted to the 9 th Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters. In early 1917 he transferred to the 9 th Battalion (Pioneers), North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’).
