The brother of a Scots soldier who was killed while playing an off-duty game of football has been presented with the Elizabeth Cross.
Private Ben Doherty was only 18 when he was deployed as part of the Cyprus Emergency Peace Keeping Force in January of 1956.
The Glaswegian was one of three soldiers to die during an off-duty kick-about at Lefkoniko as a bomb at a nearby water fountain was detonated.
He served in the 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry.
His brother, Tony Doherty, 57, was presented with the Elizabeth Cross in recognition of his sacrifice.
He was also awarded the General Service Medal as an enlisted soldier.
Private Matthew Neely died instantly as a result of the blast while Ptes Doherty and John Beattie were rushed to the military hospital in Nicosia but they died later from their injuries.
Mr Doherty, a telecoms service manager with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said he was very proud of his brother -- who was the eldest of nine children.
He said: “Sadly, I didn’t know my brother. He was the eldest of nine children, two girls and seven boys.
“I remember his picture always had pride of place in the living room.
“His death devastated my mother Margaret and father Ben.
“They explained to me that he had died in Cyprus when a bomb exploded in a well while he had been playing football.”
Mr Doherty received the medals at Glasgow City Chambers earlier this week.
Lord Provost Eva Bolander, as Lord Lieutenant, made the presentation to Mr Doherty, who was not born at the time of his brother’s death.
She said: “It’s important that families of these soldiers do receive some recognition of their service.
“Conflict visits great costs on everyone who loses a loved one.
“It’s my honour and pleasure to be able to present the Elizabeth Cross.
“I know that it is a source of great pride and comfort to surviving family members.”
The Cyprus Emergency was a four-year struggle in the former British crown colony led by the insurgent Greek Cypriot military group EOKA.
It led to Cyprus’s independence in 1960, but during the violence, 371 British servicemen lost their lives in what is known as “the forgotten conflict” between 1955 and 1959.
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