Patrick Anthony Porteous
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Patrick Anthony Porteous VC (1 January 1918 – 9 October 2000) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
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He was 24 years old, and a Temporary Captain in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, British Army during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 19 August 1942 at Dieppe, France, Captain Porteous was liaison officer between two detachments whose task was to attack the heavy coast defence guns. During the initial assault Captain Porteous, with the smaller detachment was shot through the hand, but he nevertheless disarmed and killed his assailant, thereby also saving the life of a British sergeant. In the meantime the two officers of the other detachment had been killed and the Troop Sergeant Major seriously wounded, so Captain Porteous, in the face of withering fire, dashed across open ground to take command and led the men in a successful charge against the enemy, when he was severely wounded for the second time. He continued to the final objective, however, but eventually collapsed after the last gun had been destroyed.
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He later achieved the rank of Colonel.
[edit] References
- British VCs of World War 2 (John Laffin, 1997)
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- Antoni Chmielowski, Gwenda Millin, Edwin King, Brian Harrod
[edit] External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (West Sussex)
- Porteous Patrick Porteous
