Mexborough and Swinton Times March 2, 1918

Presentation by Mayor of Rotherham

Kilnhurst Man’s Military Medal

At a special meeting of the Rotherham Borough Council, held on Tuesday evening, the Mayor (Alderman J Hemingsley) former presented the Military Medal to Private Lorenzo Meggit, miner, whose home is at 54 South Terrace, Kilnhurst.

The mayor said although private Meggitt did not live within the borough a desire been expressed that, as he belonged to the Rotherham district, the Military Medal he had gained might be presented to him by the Mayor.

He (the Mayor) had very great pleasure in making the presentation. He found that Private Meggitt was 29 years of age, and that before the war he was working at the Roundwood colliery.

He enlisted in August 1914 in a battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment, and went to the Dardanelles, taking part in the fighting at Sulva Bay. He was sent home with frostbite in November 1915. He fought in the Come battles and Vimy Ridge. It was that the latter place that he won the Military Medal on October 16, 1917.

While out with a small patrol, he fell across an enemy raiding party, who were repulsed, and Private Meggitt carried back to the front line one of the German soldiers which he had been instrumental in capturing, and through this splendid work, valuable information was obtained.

He was granted leave, and returned to France on November 17, taking part in the fighting again. He had now had another well-deserved leave.

The Mayor said he was only expressing the feelings of the members of the Council when he said they had a great admiration for Private Meggitt, and the work he have done. They were proud of him as a Yorkshire lad. They were interested to know that almost as soon as he received that presentation he would be leaving again for France that evening.

Private Meggitt briefly responded