Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

90th Canadian Anti-Tank Battery, 1st Anti-tank Regiment (Royal Canadian Artillery), 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Infantry Division, Canadian Army

Awarded on:

September 23rd, 1943

Awarded for:

Operation Husky

"On the night 21/22 Jul 43, at 2130 hrs, an attack was launched by 2 Cdn Inf Bde against the SICILIAN town of LEON FORTE, strongly held by troops of 1st and 2nd PANZER GRENADIER REGT.
The Edmn Regt forced an entry into the town on the main road from the south where the fighting became most confused and bloody. Major Welsh, in n endeavour to seek out information, entered the town. En route he met Lieut H.T. Carson, 4 P.L.D.G., attached to 2 Cdn Inf Bde, who had been sent forward for the same purpose. Both Officers were then under heavy M.G. fire. Lieut. Carson pointed out the M.G. Post which was doing the damage and which controlled the approach into the town, making further entry by the A.Tk. guns impossible.
Major Welsh went back up the road, brought a 6 pdr into action and with Lieut C.G. Murdoch, RCA, manning the piece successfully destroyed the M.G. post. He then went forward alone, and hearing a group of German soldiers talking, he stalked them and called on them to surrender. He single handed captured 20 German prisoners on this occasion."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

90th Canadian Anti-Tank Battery, 1st Anti-tank Regiment (Royal Canadian Artillery), 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Infantry Division, Canadian Army

Awarded on:

May 6th, 1944

"Ref Map ITALY 1/50,000 Sheet 141-II ORTANA
On 24 Dec 43 The Loyal Edmonton Regiment and The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada were engaged in a fierce street battle in ORTANA (MR 3316). The Loyal Edmonton Regiment had been fighting for more than 24 hours in the area of the second square, against a determined effort by the enemy to hold the exits from the town.
At the height of this battle one of our tanks was put out of action by a German Anti-Tank Gun, thus forming a barrier across a narrow fire-swept street, which both prevented further tanks from getting forward and obscured our own troops' view of their targets and of enemy movements.
Major Welsh, who had been endeavouring to bring a six pounder gun forward to blast enemy-held houses, immediately took charge and by a display of resourcefulness and great courage under observed fire organized the removal of the casualty tank by another tank. He then, with the assistance of the crew manhandled his gun forward and destroyed the enemy post that had been responsible for the destruction of the tank. Then, still under the heaviest mortar and machine gun fire, he blasted a route through the rubble for the succeeding tanks, which were then able to move forward and relieve the pressure on the infantry.
The energy, persistence and courage displayed by Major Welsh were of the highest order. Through them a situation, which might well have resulted in heavy casualties to our troops was saved, and The Loyal Edmonton Regiment was able to complete their consolidation of the area and continue their attack."

Awarded as bar on the ribbon of the first medal.