Article with annotations. || Michael James O'Rourke VC, MM (March 19, 1878 – December 6, 1957) was a Private in the 7th (1st British Columbia) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force During the period 15/17 August 1917 at Hill 70 near Lens, France, Private O'Rourke, who was a stretcher bearer, worked unceasingly for three days and nights bringing in the wounded, dressing their wounds and getting them food and water. During the whole of this period the area in which he worked was swept by heavy machine-gun and rifle fire and on several occasions he was knocked down and partially buried by enemy shells. His courage and devotion in carrying out his rescue work in spite of exhaustion and incessant heavy fire seemed to inspired all ranks and undoubtedly saved many lives. The attached account of his actions saving wounded from No Man's Land and collapsed trenches and dugouts was written by James Price Lloyd of the Welsh Regiment, who served with Military Intelligence. After the war, the government to destroyed all the archives relating to this propaganda (section MI 7b (1)). They were regarded as being too sensitive to risk being made public. Remarkably these documents have survived in the personal records of Captain Lloyd. Many of these papers are officially stamped, and one can trace the development of many individual articles from the notes based on an idea, to the pencil draft which is then followed by the hand-written submission and the typescript. The archive Tales of the VC comprises 94 individual accounts of the heroism that earned the highest award for valour, the Victoria Cross. These are recounted deferentially and economically, yet they still manage to move the reader.

Postcards and photos Letter || Patrick (Paddy) and John O'Rourke were brothers of my Mother and were from Johnstown, Co. Kilkenny in Ireland. There was only about 2 years between them. They appear in several of the photos together. They were both members of the Southern Irish Horse and were based in Clonmel and Fermoy. Patrick was injured in the Somme and suffered from shellshock. In 1922 he was admitted to a mental home in Kilkenny City. He died sometime in the 1980s. John was based in the depot and never served abroad, but he was a fine shot. He lived into his 80s and had a family. Marcello referred to in postcards was my mother. Because Paddy served abroad, most of the items are connected with him rather than John. || || Photo of Soldiers || Photograph || || Front || Home Front || Letter to Patrick and John's sister from a (Private?) Pick. || Letter to Miss O'Rourke from Pick || Riverstown, Co. Cork, Ireland || Miss O'Rourke || Letter || || Home Front || Back || Miss O'Rourke || Letter to Patrick and John's sister from a (Private?) Pick. || Letter || Riverstown, Co. Cork, Ireland || Letter to Miss O'Rourke from Pick || || Multiple || Photos and Postcard from Patrick (Paddy) || || Postcard || Backs of postcards. Some addressed to Mrs. (?) O'Rourke, Johnstown, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland. || Deutsch || English || Postcards || (Mrs.?) O'Rourke || || Front || Postcards || Français || English || Postcard || || Postcard || Miss O'Rourke || Back || Postcards, one of which is to Miss O'Rourke from Patrick (Paddy). || Postcards || || Photos || Photograph || || Photos || Photograph || || Postcard || France || Postcards || Postcards including one from Paddy to May O'Rourke. || || Photo of Bureau de Poste || Photograph || Français || || Postcards, including one from Paddy to his mother. || Back || Postcard || Postcards || || Photo of destruction || Photo/postcard showing destruction of unknown village (location scribbled out) due to War. || Photograph || Français || || Photo of Soldiers || Photograph || || Photograph || Photo of Soldier(s) || || Photo of Soldiers || Photograph || || Back || Postcard from Patrick (Paddy) to his sister(s) || Postcard || || Marcello || Postcard to Marcello (Patrick and John's sister) from Partick (Paddy) || Letter || Postcard to Marcello from Paddy || Back || || Postcard || Back || || Photograph || Photo of Soldiers on horseback || || Photograph || Photo || || Postcard from May to Father || Postcard from May to Father (Outside) || || Postcard from May to Father || Postcard from May to Father (Inside) || Postcard || || Français || Postcard || English || Christmas postcards

Casualty MSS