Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Captain

Unit:

Headquarters, 4th Parachute Brigade, 1st Airborne Division, British Army

Awarded on:

September 20th, 1945

Awarded for:

Operation Market Garden

Citation:
"On 18 September, Father McGOWAN jumped into action near ARNHEM with 4th Parachute Brigade. Under fire from the moment of arrival he went about his duties of succouring the wounded and burying the dead of either side with admirable coolness. On the 20th he was in a British Main Dressing Station which was captured, and when the Germans moved 40 wounded out into a school without medical officer or orderlies Father McGOWAN voluntarily went off with them and spent the next 24 hrs looking after them, with what assistance he could get from one or two stragglers and the German guards themselves. He accompanied them to ARNHEM, and then when our troops had evacuated the OOSTERBEEK area from which he had come he returned there to bury the dead and bring in abandoned wounded. The area was not strongly occupied by the enemy but in a week Father McGOWAN moved freely round it accompanied by a Dutch Red Cross man but dressed himself as a British Airborne officer and with no protection but his clerical collar. At every step he took his life in his hands. He was repeatedly stopped, arrested, questioned. Occasionally he would get a safe conduct from a German officer. But mostly he relied upon a bold approach and the incredulity which his appearance caused in what was now becoming a heavily defended German zone. During this period 28th September to 6th October, he buried many dead and recorded the graves of others, brought in wounded to the small British hospital in ARNHEM, sought out comforts and kit for the wounded, these from scattered divisional stores, looked for and found many of their pay books in dressing stations and Regimental Aid Post's to avoid later confusion in their accounts and even contrived to make contact with unwounded members of the Division who were lying up and leave food and other necessities. He was frequently under fire from our own guns and aircraft while doing so."

For his actions during operation 'Market Garden'. Daniel McGowan served as Padre to the 16th Parachute Field Ambulance, 1st Parachute Brigade, 1st Airborne Division at Arnhem, September 1944.
Published in the London Gazette dated 20th September 1945.