Pte William Medlock, 8178, a reservist called up in August 1914, was the first Luton man to be awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for gallant conduct, earned with the 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment at Neuve Chapelle on October 29th, 1914.
The official record said he and another unnamed man crawled from the trenches while under heavy fire, set fire to a farmhouse occupied by about 50 Germans who were forced to leave, and enabled our troops to take possession of an important tactical position.
When he knew he was to receive the medal for his gallant deed, he sent a postcard to one of his mates telling him there was a surprise in store, and put on the card the letters DCM. He had hoped to come home again on leave, but then wrote to say he was back in the trenches. During his war service he was wounded at Mons, and recently was in hospital with influenza and bronchitis.
Pte Medlock, who formerly lived at 22 Ash Road, Luton, was the son-in-law Mr Darby, of 7 Princess Street. Before the war he worked at the Skefko Ball Bearing Co Ltd in Leagrave Road, Luton. The directors of the company sent him a letter expressing their appreciation of the manner in which he had distinguished himself. His workmates also sent him a parcel of comforts.
Pte Medlock's father-in-law had served for 13 years with the 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, finishing his time when he returned from the Boer War.
The Darbys had three sons, three sons-in-law and several other relatives serving with the colours.
Pte Medlock was with another Skefko man, Pte Frederick Miller, of 70 Highbury Road, Luton, when he fell in action near Ypres on November 7th, 1914.
From the description of the event it seemed that the second man was Pte Joseph Goodman, 8074, 1st Bedfords, who also received the DCM. The official description of Pte Goodman's exploit was: "Gallant conduct at Neuve Chapelle on October 29th, 1914, when he accompanied another man and set fire to a farmhouse occupied by about 50 of the enemy while exposed to heavy fire. The enemy was thereby forced to leave the farm, which was an important tactical position."
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website records that Pte Goodman, by then corporal or acting corporal, died on November 30th, 1918, nearly three weeks after Armistice Day. He was then 34 with a family living in Rickmansworth, Herts. He is commemorated at Baireilly Cemetery in India.
[The Luton News, June 10th, 1915, and June 24th, 1915]