Harrogate Herald - 17th March 1920

Harrogate Officer Decorated

Lieutenant William Lister, of the Yorkshire Regiment, was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry on the battlefield, and was decorated on the field on the 12th June, 1918. the details of the incident for which the award was made are as follows : "In the face of very heavy machine-gun fire this officer led his party to their objective, and made several many determined attempts to penetrate the enemy defences in spite of very strong resistance. This gallant action so ?????? ??????? the enemy that a flank party was able to attack them in rear unobserved. Later the officer in command of the raiding party became a casualty, and Lieutenant Lister took command. The object of the raid being obtained he superintended the withdrawal. Throughout the operation the officer showed great coolness and absolute disregard for personal safety, and a very marked power of command".

Lieutenant Lister was chief clerk to Messrs D G Brown, the Grand Polytechnic, Harrogate, for 8 years before the war, and joined up early in 1915. he entered the ranks, and secured a commission before going out to France in 1917, and was made a lieutenant in November, 1918, with which rank he retired when demobilised on January 22nd this year. He was drafted from France to Italy, thence to Austria, where he was engaged on mission work for the last six months.

[ Photo available on later page ]