Captain Leslie E. Rawlinson MM

Leslie Elwood Rawlinson was an original member of the 49th Battalion (Edmonton Regiment) and quickly became known for his skill in scouting and night patrols in No Mans Land. In July 1916, a strong German patrol was observed in No Man's Land on Mount Sorrel. Anticipating a similar patrol to reappear the following night, Rawlinson prepared an ambush the following evening. Although outnumbered, his party caught the enemy by surprise, killing a number of the enemy and capturing a mortally wounded prisoner. He received the Military Medal for this action. Two months later, Rawlinson was wounded by a shell blast that caused the loss of an eye. He returned to France in 1918 as a Captain with the Canadian Railway Troops.