'Messines Offensive: 7th to 9th June 1917. During the day of the 6th instant, under particularly heavy shell fire, the NCO who is the Battalion Chiropodist, rendered most valuable assistance at the Boyle?s Farm regimental aid post. By his unflagging energy and devotion to duty, he rendered great service to the Battalion. Again on the night of the 9/10th June 1917, 6 men of this Battalion were wounded at the crossroads near Blauwen Molen during the relief of their Platoon. At this time the enemy artillery were shelling out position with a continuously heavy fire and were subjecting the locality where these men were wounded to a particularly intense fire. In spite of this, and with a complete disregard of personal safety, Lance Corporal Poots went out to dress these men. On arriving there the fire was too intense to effect this, so Poots removed each of these men to a place of safety and dressed their wounds. His action was an extraordinarily brave one.'
Source: London Gazette
Date: 16 August 1917