Teen soldier, 17, who joined Army to honour his brother killed in Afghanistan wins best recruit award
A TEEN soldier who joined the Army to honour his hero brother killed in Afghanistan has won an award for best recruit. Fin Doherty was just six-years-old in 2008 when his brother JJ died while serving with the Parachute Regiment when his patrol was ambushed by the Taliban in Helmand province. And this month proud […]
A TEEN soldier who joined the Army to honour his hero brother killed in Afghanistan has won an award for best recruit.
Fin Doherty was just six-years-old in 2008 when his brother JJ died while serving with the Parachute Regiment when his patrol was ambushed by the Taliban in Helmand province.
And this month proud Fin, 17, saw his dream to follow in his brother’s footsteps come true when he passed out of army college in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
Private Doherty’s story was featured in a BBC documentary earlier this year and he has finally been handed his Paras red beret and was awarded the accolade of best recruit.
He said: “I couldn’t think of a better job than doing something that I think matters, especially for something my brother laid down his life for.
“I’d rather have what happened to him happen to me at the same age than live to 100 and never do it because that pride of being a paratrooper is everything.”
Lieutenant-Colonel Rich Hall, commanding officer of the army college, said: “Can’t stop thinking about the courage of this family.
“Having lost JJ in 2008, Fin joins up in 2018 and goes on to become the best recruit in the college driven by his love for his brother, his family and his regiment. A privilege to meet you all.”
Fin was left shattered by the death oh his brother Jeff, known as JJ, over ten years ago.
The paratrooper was ambushed just two days before his 20th birthday in June 2008.
The BBC followed his family’s journey, alongside three other families, in a powerful documentary earlier this year.
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Fin, who was just six at the time, said in the programme: “Whenever he was home he was always making a fuss of me, there were always good times – no bad times.
“We were always misbehaving and messing about. He was the big brother who I loved, he loved me and I knew I was loved from a young age.
“I was ready to fight anybody at any time.
“You could say hello and I’d shout at you. I wasn’t just doing it outside the house, but inside the house as well.
“We’d be sitting in the living room and nobody would speak to me because they were worried about how I’d react.”
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