The Emperor of Russia has conferred the Medal of St George, 3rd Class, on the late Private Robert Morrow, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry at Messines on 12th April, , in rescuing, on his own initiative, wounded soldiers while exposed to shell fire. The gallant young hero was killed thirteen days afterwards at St Julien, before he actually got the Victoria Cross, which has been sent to his widowed mother, who resides at Sessia, Newmills. Mrs Morrow’s husband died 21 years ago, leaving a family of five boys and six girls, the youngest being merely an infant (and two of whom since died). On her little farm, with the help given by the Presbyterian Orphanage Society, by hard work and good management she reared this large family, who were taught the first principal of citizenship, ‘Fear God and Honour the King’. In the day school, under the teachings of Mr Thomas H McAdoo of Gortnagush National School; in the Sunday school, under the superintendence of Mr Elliott, R.D.C., and in the church under pastorship of the Rev D T Macky, the character of the lad, who up to the present, has brought the greatest honour to County Tyrone in the war, was moulded.

In spite of the temptation to which too many struggling farmers and others succumb, to send their children out to earn a living before they are in their teens, young Morrow was kept at school until he was over 14 years of age, and the character he had then of a ‘quiet, determined boy, always ready to do a good turn,’ was what animated him to risk his life in rescuing comrades on the battlefield, for which the Czar has joined King George in conferring honours on him. At home he proved a loving son and an invaluable helper on the farm, his mother testifying that ‘he was awfully good to me always.’

Having a taste for soldiering, he enlisted in the Royal Irish Fusiliers when of age and in the army he kept the good opinion formed at school. Brought up a total abstainer, he never disgraced his uniform as some do, and he agreed with the opinion of General Gordon that there is nothing to prevent a young man living a sober and temperate life in the army more than elsewhere. The Faugh-a-Ballaghs, in which he enlisted, though a famous fighting regiment, never before earned the coveted V.C., and Captain Hill, in whose company young Morrow served, wrote to his mother from France as follows:-

One of the young hero's brothers, Richard Morrow, resides at Moneymore, where he is married. He has answered his country's call and is serving in the 12th Inniskillings. A brother-in-law, William Leslie, of Moy Post Office, is also in the army. The youngest brother, who is rather delicate, is at home with his mother, and the rest of the family are in situations in Dublin and America. A portrait of Private Morrow V.C. is being included in a large commemorative painting which is being executed for the French Government by M Carrier-Belleuse.