On the night of 30 April/1 May 1945 during one of the battles leading up to the attack on the port of Delfzijl, 3 Troop, 10 Canadian Field Squadron was in support of the Irish Regiment of Canada with the task of opening a road for vehicles and supporting tanks. At 2200 hours on the 30 April 1945 a 50-foot crater was encountered in the road near the village of Heveskes; the surrounding area as well as the crater was heavily mined both with German anti-tank and anti-personnel mines. Sergeant McLaughlin had been maintaining close contact with the leading infantry and realized when they encountered this obstacle that they would have great difficulty in continuing the advance without their supporting tanks and carriers. Therefore, in spite of the heavy mortaring and small arms fire, Sergeant McLaughlin, having completed his reconnaissance, put his troop to work clearing the mines and repairing the road over this large crate. The anti-personnel mines were so thickly sown that the troop sustained four casualties before the gap was cleared. It was shortly after the troop had commenced working that it was necessary for our own three-inch mortars to set up near the crater in an area clear by Sergeant McLaughlin, firing 20 yards away. This brought down heavy counter-mortar fire. In spite of this heavy fire, however, Sergeant McLaughlin continued to encourage and personally led his troop in the essential road clearance and repair so that by first light tanks and supporting arms were able to pour into the village of Heveskes giving badly needed support and bringing up ammunition for the hard-pressed infantry. It was largely due to Sergeant McLaughlin's gallantry under fire, untiring efforts and inspired leadership that the advance was able to continue and the operation was a success.