During the IRA's Northern Campaign, Doyle is mentioned by White as having participated in the abortive raid on the British barracks at Crossmaglen, County Armagh, on 2 September 1942, in retaliation for the execution of Tom Williams earlier that morning. The IRA unit – some twenty men in a commandeered lorry and accompanying car – was discovered by a passing RUC patrol near the village of Cullaville. Doyle is mentioned in White's memoirs as having "jumped out of the car, Thompson in hand, and started shooting at the RUC". (Since the element of surprise was lost, the attack on the barracks had to be cancelled.)