Source: Earned the Military Medal for “Bravery in the Field” during the actions at the Somme September 1916.
Family Search: When Private David Thomas Egan was born on 26 September 1890, in Kanturk, County Cork, Ireland, his father, William Egan, was 35 and his mother, Bridget Egan, was 29. He married Ethel Kelf on 10 December 1916, in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom. They were the parents of at least 2 sons. He immigrated to Canada in 1913 and lived in Cork, County Cork, Ireland in 1911. He registered for military service in 1914. In 1944, at the age of 54, his occupation is listed as town constable in Lucan, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada. He died on 10 February 1964, at the age of 73, and was buried in St. Peter’s Cemetery, London, Ontario, Canada.
Military Medal. London Gazette. No. 29854. 08/12/16.
Duty Nobly Done describes an action in which Private David Egan was involved:
“In the interlude between the two stages of the barrage, the Germans attempted a spoiling attach on the positions of the 18th and 20th Battalions. A few of them managed to reach the jumping off trench before Lieutenant Hugh Sykes and some of the 18th Battalion men with help from Lieutenant Gidley and some bombers of the 19th, in support of the two forward battalions, drove them off. In one case, Private David Egan picked up a Lewis gun and moved out of the trench during the September 15, 1916 attack at the Somme to a position from which he could enfilade the attacking Germans, causing many casualties among them and forcing the survivors to withdraw.”
Antal, S., & Shackleton, K. (2006). Courcelette: Taking a Turn On the Somme. Duty Nobly Done: The official history of the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment (1st ed., p. 211). Windsor, ON: Walkerville Pub.
MILITARY MEDAL
For most conspicuous gallantry and marked ability. Previous to the Inf; forming up for attack the enemy made a bombing raid on our front line trenches, quickly grasping the seriousness of the situation he secured a Lewis Gun which to give more advantageous position he placed in advance of our trench and opened fire compelling the enemy to withdraw and suffer serious numerous casualties. Hostile shell fire was very heave at the time and he was seriously wounded.
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 