Martin Doyle
VC,
MM (25 October 1891 – 20 November 1940) was an Irish member of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
during the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, and a recipient of the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to
British and
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
forces.
After the war, he joined the
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various paramilitary organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Organisations by this name have been dedicated to irredentism through Irish republicanism, the belief tha ...
during the
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...
, served with the
National Army during the
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War ( ga, Cogadh Cathartha na hÉireann; 28 June 1922 – 24 May 1923) was a conflict that followed the Irish War of Independence and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State, an entity independent from the United ...
, in the
Defence Forces The phrase Defence Force(s) (or Defense Force(s) in US English - see spelling differences) is in the title of the armed forces of certain countries and territories.
Defence forces
* Ambazonia Defence Forces
*Artsakh Defence Army
* Australian Defen ...
until 1937 and
Reserve Defence Forces until 1939.
World War I
Doyle was born in
New Ross
New Ross (, formerly ) is a town in southwest County Wexford, Ireland. It is located on the River Barrow, near the border with County Kilkenny, and is around northeast of Waterford. In 2016 it had a population of 8,040 people, making it the ...
,
County Wexford
County Wexford ( ga, Contae Loch Garman) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region. Named after the town of Wexford, it was based on the historic Gaelic territory of Hy Kinsella (''Uí Ceinns ...
on 25 October 1891. He initially joined the
Royal Irish Regiment in 1909 being given the Service Number 9962. He was transferred to the
Royal Dublin Fusiliers in August 1914. After service with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers he joined
The Royal Munster Fusiliers
The Royal Munster Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1922. It traced its origins to the East India Company's Bengal European Regiment raised in 1652, which later became the 101st Regiment of Foot (Royal Ben ...
and was awarded the
Military Medal
The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land. The award ...
In September 1918 as a
company sergeant-major in the 1st Battalion, The Royal Munster Fusiliers,
16th (Irish) Division
The 16th (Irish) Division was an infantry division of the British Army, raised for service during World War I. The division was a voluntary 'Service' formation of Lord Kitchener's New Armies, created in Ireland from the 'National Volunteers', i ...
during the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC:
IRA service
In 1920, Doyle joined the
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various paramilitary organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Organisations by this name have been dedicated to irredentism through Irish republicanism, the belief tha ...
and fought in the
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...
. He served with the pro-treaty
National Army in the
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War ( ga, Cogadh Cathartha na hÉireann; 28 June 1922 – 24 May 1923) was a conflict that followed the Irish War of Independence and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State, an entity independent from the United ...
, and retired in 1937. Some sources have described Doyle as acting as an intelligence officer for the IRA in east County Clare.
He died in Dublin in 1940 from
poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe sym ...
, aged 49, and is buried in
Grangegorman Military Cemetery
Grangegorman Military Cemetery () is a British military cemetery in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, located on R806 road (Ireland), Blackhorse Avenue, parallel to the Navan Road and beside the Phoenix Park.
The Cemetery
Battalion badges a ...
.
References
Sources
* ''
The Register of the Victoria Cross
''The Register of the Victoria Cross'' is a reference work that provides brief information on every Victoria Cross awarded until the publication date. Each entry provides a summary of the deed, along with a photograph of the recipient and the fol ...
'' (1981, 1988 and 1997)
*
* ''
Ireland's VCs'' (Dept. of Economic Development 1995)
* ''
Monuments to Courage
David Charles Harvey (29 July 1946 – 4 March 2004) was a historian and author. He is notable for his seminal work, ''Monuments To Courage'', which documents the graves of almost all recipients of the Victoria Cross, a task that took him over 36 ...
'' (David Harvey, 1999)
* ''
Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross'' (
Richard Doherty
James Richard Doherty (born 19 May 1948), known as Richard Doherty, is a British military historian and author from County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
Educated at St. Columb's College, he has written more than twenty books about British and I ...
& David Truesdale, 2000)
External links
Location of grave and VC medal*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Doyle, Martin
1891 births
1940 deaths
Military personnel from County Wexford
National Army (Ireland) officers
Royal Munster Fusiliers soldiers
British Army personnel of World War I
Irish World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross
Recipients of the Military Medal
Irish Republican Army (1919–1922) members
People of the Irish Civil War (Pro-Treaty side)
Deaths from polio
People from County Wexford
Royal Irish Regiment (1684–1922) soldiers
Royal Dublin Fusiliers soldiers
British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross
Burials at Grangegorman Military Cemetery