Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lance-Sergeant

Unit:

No.18 Platoon, D Company, The Perth Regiment, 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division, Canadian Army

Awarded on:

January 20th, 1945

Recommendation:
On 31 August 1944, during the assault on the Gothic Line, the Perth Regiment captured Feature 204. At about 0145 hours, 1 September 1944, the enemy launched a strong counter-attack on the Regimental position. The main force of the attack came through a platoon commanded by Lance-Sergeant Rowe. In the early stages of the attack some of the section positions were overrun and the platoon suffered heavy casualties, Lance-Sergeant Rowe himself being wounded in the head. Refusing medical attention at this critical juncture, he rallied what remained of his platoon and personally led three successive charges in a gallant effort to regain these lost positions. The first two attempts were beaten back after being bitterly contested but Lance-Sergeant Rowe led a third and successful assault during which he personally rushed a machine gun post with great daring and cleared the position at the point of the bayonet. In the course of this bitter fighting, 20 paratroopers were killed and 10 captured.
As on many other occasions, the cool determination and courageous leadership displayed by Lance-Sergeant Rowe were a real inspiration to his men and it was due to his personal gallant efforts in this critical situation that the counter-attack on his company failed and the battalion position was held.

Supplement to The London Gazette, dated March 8th, 1945.