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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Lawrence Aloysius Doherty

In memory of:

Flying Officer Lawrence Aloysius Doherty

June 6, 1943

Military Service

Service Number:

J/7468

Age:

25

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

414 Squadron

Additional Information

Born:

April 1, 1918
Toronto, Ontario

Enlistment:

November 18, 1940
Hamilton, Ontario

Son of Thomas Arthur and Mary M. Doherty, of Toronto, Ontario.

Flying Officer Doherty alerted Flying Officer Rowan T. Hutchinson, both whom were assigned to escort a naval vessel on a secret mission in the English Channel on 6 June 1943, when he spotted a trio of Folke-Wulf 1900's just as they launched surprise attack. His brief radio warning alerted Flying Officer Hutchinson to the danger, although Flying Officer Doherty's Mustang was immediately shot down.

Commemorated on Page 154 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information

Cemetery:

RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
Surrey, United Kingdom

Grave Reference:

Panel 173.

Location:

During the Second World War more than 116,000 men and women of the Air Forces of the British Commonwealth gave their lives in service. More than 17,000 of these were members of the Royal Canadian Air Force, or Canadians serving with the Royal Air Force. Approximately one-third of all who died have no known grave. Of these, 20,450 are commemorated by name on the Runnymede Memorial, which is situated at Englefield Green, near Egham, 32 kilometers by road west of London.

The design of the Runnymede Memorial is original and striking. On the crest of Cooper's Hill, overlooking the Thames, a square tower dominates a cloister, in the centre of which rests the Stone of Remembrance. The cloistered walks terminate in two lookouts, one facing towards Windsor, and the other towards London Airport at Heathrow. The names of the dead are inscribed on the stone reveals of the narrow windows in the cloisters and the lookouts. They include those of 3,050 Canadian airmen. Above the three-arched entrance to the cloister is a great stone eagle with the Royal Air Force motto, Per Ardua ad Astra". On each side is the inscription:

IN THIS CLOISTER ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF TWENTY THOUSAND AIRMEN WHO HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVE. THEY DIED FOR FREEDOM IN RAID AND SORTIE OVER THE BRITISH ISLES AND THE LANDS AND SEAS OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN EUROPE

In the tower a vaulted shrine, which provides a quiet place for contemplation, contains illuminated verses by Paul H. Scott."

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Memorial Arch– The names of those who died in the Second World War were added to the archway beneath the Soldiers’ Tower in 1949. The name of "F/O L.A. Doherty R.C.A.F.” is among the names inscribed. Photo: Cody Gagnon, courtesy of Alumni Relations.

    Details

    Memorial Arch
    Memorial Arch – The names of those who died in the Second World War were added to the archway beneath the Soldiers’ Tower in 1949. The name of "F/O L.A. Doherty R.C.A.F.” is among the names inscribed. Photo: Cody Gagnon, courtesy of Alumni Relations.
  • Memorial Book– University of Toronto Memorial Book, Second World War 1939-1945. Published by the Soldiers’ Tower Committee, 1993. Entry on page 18 reads: F/O Lawrence A. DOHERTY, 411 Sqn RCAF. Former student in St. Michael’s College, 1936. Killed in an air operation over the Bay of Biscay, 6 May 1943. Name inscribed on the Runnymede Memorial, Cooper’s Hill, Egham, Woking, Surrey, England.

    Details

    Memorial Book
    Memorial Book – University of Toronto Memorial Book, Second World War 1939-1945. Published by the Soldiers’ Tower Committee, 1993. Entry on page 18 reads: F/O Lawrence A. DOHERTY, 411 Sqn RCAF. Former student in St. Michael’s College, 1936. Killed in an air operation over the Bay of Biscay, 6 May 1943. Name inscribed on the Runnymede Memorial, Cooper’s Hill, Egham, Woking, Surrey, England.
  • Memorial Room– Soldiers’ Tower, University of Toronto. Photo: David Pike, courtesy of Alumni Relations.

    Details

    Memorial Room
    Memorial Room – Soldiers’ Tower, University of Toronto. Photo: David Pike, courtesy of Alumni Relations.
  • St. Michael’s College Memorial Intro– Inscriptions in the stone walls of the slype between More and Fisher Houses on the University of Toronto campus commemorate the men of St. Michael’s College (University of Toronto) and St. Michael’s College School (a private Catholic high school) who died in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean conflict.

    Details

    St. Michael’s College Memorial Intro
    St. Michael’s College Memorial Intro – Inscriptions in the stone walls of the slype between More and Fisher Houses on the University of Toronto campus commemorate the men of St. Michael’s College (University of Toronto) and St. Michael’s College School (a private Catholic high school) who died in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean conflict.
  • Detail of St. Michael’s College Memorial– Showing some of the Second World War names including that of Lawrence A. Doherty.

    Details

    Detail of St. Michael’s College Memorial
    Detail of St. Michael’s College Memorial – Showing some of the Second World War names including that of Lawrence A. Doherty.
  • St. Michael’s College Memorial– The memorial slype between More and Fisher Houses on the University of Toronto campus commemorates the men of St. Michael’s College (University of Toronto) and St. Michael’s College School (a private Catholic high school) who died in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean conflict.

    Details

    St. Michael’s College Memorial
    St. Michael’s College Memorial – The memorial slype between More and Fisher Houses on the University of Toronto campus commemorates the men of St. Michael’s College (University of Toronto) and St. Michael’s College School (a private Catholic high school) who died in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean conflict.
  • Soldiers' Tower– The Soldiers’ Tower was built by the University of Toronto Alumni Association in 1924 as a memorial to the Great War of 1914-1918. The names of those who died in that conflict are carved on the Memorial Screen at photo left. After the Second World War, more names were carved in the Memorial Arch at the Tower’s base. In total, almost 1200 names are inscribed. A Memorial Room inside the Tower contains mementoes and artifacts, and a 51-bell carillon serves as the audio element of the living memorial to the alumni, students, faculty and staff who died in the World Wars. The Soldiers’ Tower is the site of an annual Service of Remembrance. Photo: Kathy Parks, Alumni Relations.

    Details

    Soldiers' Tower
    Soldiers' Tower – The Soldiers’ Tower was built by the University of Toronto Alumni Association in 1924 as a memorial to the Great War of 1914-1918. The names of those who died in that conflict are carved on the Memorial Screen at photo left. After the Second World War, more names were carved in the Memorial Arch at the Tower’s base. In total, almost 1200 names are inscribed. A Memorial Room inside the Tower contains mementoes and artifacts, and a 51-bell carillon serves as the audio element of the living memorial to the alumni, students, faculty and staff who died in the World Wars. The Soldiers’ Tower is the site of an annual Service of Remembrance. Photo: Kathy Parks, Alumni Relations.
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Star June 1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – From the Toronto Star June 1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Star June 1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – From the Toronto Star June 1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Star March 1944. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – From the Toronto Star March 1944. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Group Photo– F/O Larry Doherty with F/O Bill Blakeny and F/O Rowan Hutchinson

    Details

    Group Photo
    Group Photo – F/O Larry Doherty with F/O Bill Blakeny and F/O Rowan Hutchinson
  • Newspaper Clipping

    Details

    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping

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