6982542 Lance-Serjeant Patrick Joseph DOHERTY, MM, 2nd Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

“On the night of 12 Mar 45, L/Sgt Doherty was ordered to take a patrol forward to destroy a Spandau position which had been harassing and inflicting casualties on a forward platoon.

L/Sgt Doherty led his men along the flood bank to within 15 yards of the emplacement when Schu mines were encountered. The patrol moved cautiously on, removing the mines as they advanced. At this point, the patrol was heard, and the enemy threw grenades at them, but the patrol kept advancing and retaliated with their own grenades, whereupon the enemy sent up three verey lights and threw over a large number of grenades, slightly wounding L/Sgt Doherty and one other member of the patrol. L/Sgt Doherty withdrew his patrol, reformed and attacked again. This time he was met with Spandau fire as well as another shower of grenades. The Spandau position was rushed and silenced, and had not opened up since, but the patrol suffered three casualties in doing so, one of them falling just in front of the gun. L/Sgt Doherty immediately went to his aid, although he was not sure then that the gun had been silenced and helped him to get clear, and then withdrew his patrol intact.

The success of this dangerous task was entirely due to the outstanding example in courage and leadership displayed by L/Sgt Doherty throughout the whole operation.“