- Willie Doyle
Father Willie Doyle MC (1873 -
August 16 1917 ) was a native ofDalkey , Ireland and the youngest of seven children. He was an ordainedJesuit priest who served in theArmy Chaplains' Department of theBritish Army duringWorld War I . He was killed in action.ervice in 1914 - 1918 war
Fr Doyle enlisted as a chaplain shortly after the outbreak of the
First World War and served in:
* 8thRoyal Irish Fusiliers
*Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
* 9thRoyal Dublin Fusiliers
* 6thRoyal Irish Rifles
* 7th Royal Irish RiflesHe participated in the
Battles of the Somme ,Battle of Messines andBattle of Ypres .Bravery commended
General Hickie, the commander-in-chief of the
16th (Irish) Division , described Doyle as "one of the bravest men who fought or served out here. "He was awarded the
Military Cross for his bravery during the assault on the village of Ginchy. He was recommended for a posthumousVictoria Cross the day he was killed atYpres alongside the 16th Division and the36th Ulster Division who suffered heavy losses. Fr Doyle's body was never recovered.External links
* [http://www.1914-1918.net/bat15.htm The British Army in the Great War: The Battles of the Somme, 1916]
* [http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/messines.htm The Battle of Messines]
* [http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/ypres3.htm Battles: The Third Battle of Ypres, 1917]
* [http://www.inflandersfields.be/default2.htm In Flanders Fields museum - Ypres]
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