Airborne Assault MuseumArticle
Arnhem (Operation Market Garden)
1st Allied Airborne Corps, which included the American 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, was tasked to secure the main canal...
Pte Joseph O'Donnell was a pre war regular soldier who joined up in 1934 at the age of 18.
He joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers/Royal Irish Fusiliers seeing service in Palestine, Malaya and India with this Regt.
In January 1942 he volunteered for the Army Air Corps in India serving with 151/156 Battalion Parachute Regt.
In Sept 1942 he transferred to the Royal Signals (Airborne) He took part in OP Market-Garden arriving on the second day. He was taken prisoner of war on 20 September 1944 and was liberated on 23 April 1945. He continued to serve in the reserves until 15 April 1948. The following day he re enlisted with the Territorial Army and served with 18th Battalion The Parachute Regt and later with the Airborne Royal Engineers.
On 21 July 1960 while serving with 131 RE, 301 Sqdn twisted his ankle while parachuting.
Service History
- 1942 151 Parachute Battalion (Private)
- 1944 1st Airborne Divisional Signals (Signalman)
- 1948 131 Independent Parachute Squadron RE (V) (Sergeant)
- 1948 18th Parachute Battalion (TA) (Sergeant-Major)
