401754 Sgt Clarence Darcy Dougherty, MM+Bar, originally of the 33rd Reserve Battalion, was transferred to the 4th CMR on 7th June 1916, as part of the replacement draft needed to replenish the 4th CMR's ranks after their huge losses at the 'Battle for Mount Sorrel' of 2nd June 1916.
During the actions at Vimy Ridge in April 1917, Clarence was awarded the Military Medal. The citation for this action reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during the action of April 9th 1917, at VIMY RIDGE. On the night of the 9th April, he led a patrol through LA FOLIE WOOD, across the Battn. Frontage, bringing back most valuable information. On the afternoon of the 10th April, he volunteered and accompanied the Scout Officer on a battle patrol, and helped to locate the presence of the enemy in LA FOLIE Wood, bringing back valuable information, as to their disposition and numbers. It was largely due to him that the patrols returned without casualty. On the morning of the 11th April, he again volunteered and accompanied the Scout Officer on a battle patrol. when they penetrated to the bottom of the wood, without finding any signs of the enemy. On the evening of the 12th April when it was reported that the enemy were i LA FOLIE WOOD, he again led a patrol through the wood, bringing back the information, that the enemy had retired. On numerous previous occasions. he has been mostdaring patrolling, bringing back most valuable information, especially on Jan. 3rd 1917. when he entered the enemy's trenches, and again on Feb. 4th when he bombed an enemy's working party, causing them sever casualties.
The citation continues with details on the Bar to the MM:
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty March 5th 1918. This N.C.O. was one of a party, armed with revolvers only, which was proceeding into No Man's Land at (unreadable - though now known to have been in the right sub-sector of the line in the vicinity of Méricourt, 5km NE of Vimy) for the purpose of making a daylight reconnaissance of an enemy post. An enemy patrol was immediately rushed and in the ensuing fight one of the enemy was killed and one captured, uninjured, and the remainder put to flight. The initiative and courage displayed by this N.C.O. when the unexpected situation arose, and against odds, was largely responsible for obtaining important identification.
Although misidentified in the 4th CMR's War Diary entry for the action, in the period of 1st to 10th March 1918, Clarence gets a mention:
The Battalion went back into the same piece of front line [at Méricourt] on the 1st. On the 5th, Lt. A. Clarke, Lt. Rutherford, Cpl. Docherty [actually Clarence Dougherty] and Pte. Bell went out on a day patrol, encountering one enemy officer and six men. Lending chase and laying down a "revolver barrage", they killed one man and took another prisoner alive. It was noted that both wore the Iron Cross medal.
The Toronto Star of 20th March 1919 reported Clarence's awards as follows:
Sgt. "Doherty" won his M.M. at Vimy. The attack had been made and all objectives gained, but the position of the enemy was not clearly known. Doherty undertook a daylight patrol and, under fire from enemy machine guns, which at times were no more than 50 feet distant, he crawled about from place to place by himself and did not rest till he had discovered the location of every enemy post on his company front. He was awarded the bar at Mericourt for his work on night patrols in No-Man's Land. Night after night he was out lying in ambush for enemy patrols and taking them prisoner, walking about in front of the enemy wire, and sometimes even surprising and firing on them in their own trenches.
Many thanks to George Auer for finding the citations and the Toronto Star report.
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