Patrick Anthony Porteous
Temporary Captain (later Colonel), The Royal Regiment of Artillery
- Register No.
- 996 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Temporary Captain (later Colonel) (register: Temp. Captain) all Captains →
- Unit
- The Royal Regiment of Artillery all Royal Regiment of Artillery VCs →
- Date of action
- 19 August 1942 on this day → all of 1942 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- London Gazette
- 20th October 1942 on this day → all of 1942 →
- Born
- 1 January 1918 at Abbottabad. North West Frontier,
- Died
- Date Aound April/May 2001. (To be confirmed.)
- Memorial / grave
- Funtingdon Churchyard, Hampshire
Digest of citation
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
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
PORTEOUS, Patrick Anthony. (Reg. No.996)
Temporary Captain (later Colonel) The Royal Regiment of Artillery.
London Gazetted on 20th October 1942 Born on: 1 January 1918 at Abbottabad. North West Frontier, India.
Died on: Date Aound April/May 2001. (To be confirmed.)
Memorial at: Funtingdon Churchyard, Hampshire.
Digest of Citation reads: 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.
Additional information: He was Colonel of the Junior Leaders Regiment, Royal Artillery from 1960 to1963; was the commander of the Rheindahlen Garrison from 1966-69. He became Vice-Chairman of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association for 1993. (More to follow)
From Alf's photographs
Additional information
He was Colonel of the Junior Leaders Regiment, Royal Artillery from 1960 to1963; was the commander of the Rheindahlen Garrison from 1966-69. He became Vice-Chairman of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association for 1993. (More to follow)
India.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Funtingdon Churchyard, Hampshire
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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