Distinguished Service Order

The Distinguished Service Order was a a military order for officers only, and while normally given for service under fire or under conditions equivalent to service in actual combat with the enemy, it was awarded between 1914 and 1916 under circumstances which could not be regarded as under fire. After 01 January 1917, commanders in the field were instructed to recommend this award only for those serving under fire. Prior to 1943, the order could be given only to someone Mentioned-in-Dispatches. The order is generally given to officers in command, above the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and awards to ranks below this are usually for a high degree of gallantry just short of deserving the Victoria Cross.

Lieutenant-Colonel Anthony John Beswick Bailey DSO OBE ED
Major JD Baird DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Henry Birks DSO ED
Brigadier Henry Eversley Boak DSO

Major FP Boothe DSO
Major EG Brooks DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel Russell Hubert Britton DSO
Colonel Edward Geoffrey Brooks DSO OBE
Major GA Browne DSO
Major William James Gordon Burns DSO
Colonel Edmund Graves Meredith Cape DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Gurney Carscallen DSO VD
Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Thomas Coghlan DSO VD
Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Minden Cole DSO VD
Major-General Charles Francis Constantine CB DSO
Major EG Cowley DSO
Major Charles Stuart Craig DSO MC
Lieutenant-Colonel John Jennings Jack Creelman DSO
General The Honourable Henry Duncan Graham Crerar PC CH DSO
Major CR Crocker DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel RB Dale-Harris DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel SH Dobell DSO
Brigadier-General Wlliam Okell Holden Dodds CMG DSO VD
Major JL Drewry DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel CM Drury DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel Adelbert Augustus Durkee DSO
Major-General William Henry Pferinger Elkins CB DSO CBE
Major GR Flawn DSO
Major-General William Wasbrough Foster DSO EM
Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Theodore Barclay Gillmore DSO VD
Major A Gibson (Gib) Goldie DSO
On 6 June 1944 during the invasion of Normandy, Major Goldie, 12 Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery acted as a Forward Observation Officer for the shipborne guns of his regiment, directing their fire onto the enemy’s beach defences. This necessitated his small craft being in the forefront of the invading fleet to within range of the enemy’s small arms weapons. Under very difficult conditions of poor visibility, rough sea and enemy gun fire, he effectively neutralized their defences, thus enabling the 6 Canadian Armoured Regiment and the Royal Winnipeg Rifles to get ashore with comparatively light casualties. On landing he assumed the duties of Second-in-Command and deployed the regiment on the immediate beaches affording continuous support to the infantry. Major Goldie has continued since D Day to reconnoitre and deploy the regiment in every position it has occupied, most frequently under heavy fire and deployed well forward. Of the especially difficult ground of Calais and the south bank of the Scheldt his work and leadership have been of the highest order. His cool judgement, personal courage and continued devotion to duty have been reflected in the quick and accurate response of the guns both by day and night for five months, which has inspired the troops of the 7 Canadian Infantry Brigade with complete confidence in their guns.
Lieutenant-Colonel HS Griffin DSO
Colonel William Grasett Hagarty DSO
For conspicuous gallantry during operations. After an excellent reconnaissance he succeeded in bringing his battery into position by night, over difficult ground and under heavy shell fire. He did fine work next morning.
Lieutenant-Colonel HM Hague DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Maurice Hodson DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel RE Hogarth DSO
Major David Neil Hossie DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel William George Hurdman DSO
Brigadier Walter Court Hyde DSO
Major-General RH Keefler DSO
Major-General William Birchall Macaulay King CMG DSO
Major Lesmere (Les) Forrest Kirkpatrick DSO
Brigadier Francis (Frank) Dwyer Lace OBE DSO ED
Major ML Lahaie DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel John Napier (Herm) Lane DSO
Brigadier WC Leggat DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel Edwin Woodman Leonard DSO
For gallant and distinguished conduct in the field.
Brigadier-General Edward Murray Dalziel (Teddy) (McNaughton) Leslie DSO
General Charles Falkland Loewen GCB KBE DSO
Major DC MacDonald DSO
Brigadier-General Charles Henry MacLaren DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Cormack (Mik) Magee DSO
Brigadier Albert Bruce Matthews CBE DSO ED CD
Major D McCarthy DSO
General Andrew George Latta McNaughton PC CH CB CMG DSO CD
Major SJ McWhirter DSO
Brigadier-General James Henry Mitchell DSO
Major-General Sir Edward Whipple Bancroft Morrison KCMG CB DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel HE Murray DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel ED Nighswander DSO
Brigadier-General Alexander Thomas Ogilvie DSO
Major-General Henri Alexandre Panet CB CMG DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel GGK Peake DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel John Jenkin Penhale DSO
Brigadier Edward Chester (Johnny) Plow CBE DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel A Powis DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel GA Rankin DSO
Major ME Reiner DSO
Major-General John Hamilton (Ham) Roberts CB DSO MC
Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Arthur Robertson DSO
Major FB Rolph DSO
Brigadier Richard Edward Graham Roome CBE DSO ED
Lieutenant-Colonel JR Ross DSO
Major GC Savage DSO
Lieutenant-General Guy Granville Simonds CC CB CBE DSO
Brigadier Hebert Alan Sparling DSO
Brigadier James Crossley Stewart CBE DSO
Brigadier Cecil Valentine Stockwell DSO
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an attack. He went forward with the infantry and established an observation post in a village when the enemy were still in it. From this point he directed the fire of 400 rounds from his battery into the retreating enemy with excellent effect. He continued to observe and control fire, although the post was subjected to heavy bombardment and received direct hits. By his daring the advance of the infantry was greatly facilitated.
Brigadier ER Suttie DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel RD Telford DSO
Major-General Herbert Cyril Thacker CB CMG DSO
Colonel DK Todd DSO
Brigadier Percy Arthur Stanley Todd CBE DSO ED
Major EW Tremblay DSO
Major HR Turner DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel RHE Walker DSO
Colonel Roland (Roly) Humphreys Webb DSO
Major GA Welsh DSO & Bar
Major EE Westcott DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel McG Young DS & Bar
Colonel William Smith Ziegler CBE DSO ED