RECOMMENDED FOR V.C.

Evening Star, Issue 19583, 15 June 1927, Page 2

RECOMMENDED FOR V.C.

A REPRIMAND RECEIVED. To have been recommended for the Victoria Cross, but instead to navebeen reprimanded by _ senior officers, was the unusual experience of Colonel the Hon. James L. Ralston. C.M.G., D. 5.0., the Canadian Minister of National Defence. It has just become known that it happened toward the close of the war, when Colonel Ralston was in command of the 85th Battalion Nova Scotia Highlanders, says a 1 Central News/ Toronto message. The battalion had just taken over a section of the front lino at the end of July, 1918, when a daring and brilliant reconnaisance was carried out by a small party under Lieutenant Evans. After regaining their own trenches, it was found that the young officer had not returned. Lieutenant-Colonel Ralston, accom* panied by Lieutenant Adams, entered No Man’s Land in an attempt to locate the missing officer. By this time the enemy, thoroughly aroused, were sweeping the whole area with trench mortars, machine-guns rnd rifles, but the present Minister of Defence carried on the search until he located Lieutenant Evans within enemy territory, and rescued him. For tliis act of courage, LieutenantCojonel Ralston was recommended for the Victoria Cross. - The higher authorities refused to entertain the recommendation on the ground that it was not the business of a commanding officer to risk bis life in such a manner.