Lance Corporal Floyd Orin Rourke (M105583) The following is the citation from Floyd Rourke's Distinguished Conduct Medal citation. Rourke survived the war and served again in the Korean War. The DCM was a very rare award in the Calgary Highlanders, as it was throughout the Army, but even more so for someone as low in rank as Lance Corporal Rourke.  The award was gazetted on 22 September 1945 after the recommendation was sent from 5 Canadian Infantry Brigade on 10 May 1945.

Floyd Rourke, 1945 (Calgary Highlanders Archives Photo P97-84)

On 26 April 1945, the Calgary Highlanders were ordered to capture Gruppen-Bühren, Germany. "A" Company was detailed to secure the first objective to serve as a firm base for the battalion attack.
To reach this objective, "A" Company had to cross 1200 yards of open, flat ground completely devoid of cover and to assist them a smoke programme was laid on. Unfortunately, due to a sudden change in wind, the smoke cleared and the company, now exposed, was subjected to most intense 20-mm, light machine gun and small arms fire which killed the Platoon Commander of Number 9 Platoon, the leading platoon, and caused many other casualties
Lance-Corporal Rourke, realizing that he was now the senior Non-Commissioned Officer in the platoon immediately took over command of the platoon and skilfully led the men over the remaining 700 yards of open ground, through the barbed wire entanglements and enemy crawl trenches and into the final and successful assault of the objective.
Once on the objective, Lance-Corporal Rourke quickly reorganized his platoon and made a further bound to attack an 88-mm gun which was knocked out and the crew captured. A group of enemy now appeared on the platoon's left flank and Lance-Corporal Rourke immediately moved his men over and engaged them, capturing a further twelve prisoners.
This Junior Non-Commissioned Officer, by his initiative, good judgment and complete disregard for his personal safety, not only was directly responsible for the capture of the enemy gun and sixteen prisoners but also caused by his bravery and splendid leadership the collapse of enemy resistance in the area which resulted in the complete success of the company attack.