Sapper. William Madden was a member of ‘B’ Troop, 1st Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers.

William ‘Billy’ Madden was born on the 29 July 1917, and came from Litherland in Liverpool. [1]He enlisted into the Royal Engineers, at Liverpool, on the 25 September 1940, and was posted to No 2 Training Bn, R.E. on the 17 October 1940, where he was mustered as a ‘Bricklayer, Class BIII’, the next day. [1] Upon completion of all his training he was posted to the 25th Bn, R.E., on the 16 January 1941, and served in a Bridging Company. [1]

He volunteered for Airborne Forces in March 1942, and was sent to Hardwick Hall, where after the selection process he was sent on  Parachute Course 12 at R.A.F. Ringway, 20 April – 1 May 1942. This was an Elementary Long Course of 7 descents, 2 from the balloon and 5 from a Whitley aircraft. The 1st Parachute Squadron, R.E., of which Spr. Madden was now a member, had 6 Officers and 53 Other Ranks on this course. Spr. Madden completed the 2 balloon descents and 4 of the aircraft descents, but sprained his ankle on the 4th aircraft descent and could not continue. Despite this he was considered to have passed the course. [2]

Billy was awarded his Parachutist Badge on the 2 May 1942, as authorised by HQ. 1st Parachute Brigade. [1]

‘Billy’ Madden was remembered by the son of Sgt. ‘Stan’ Halliwell: ‘Billy Madden was a man that my father always talked about, and I know that they were both good friends of each other. So much so, that my father always used to say that Scousers were the salt of the earth, and he would use Billy’s name to emphasise that point.’ [3]

He was assigned to ‘B’ Troop, and embarked for service overseas on the 30 October 1942. This was to take part in Operation ‘Torch’, in North Africa. It is very likely that he was on the parachute operation, in support of the 2nd Parachute Battalion, which took place at Depienne and Oudna, in Tunisia, on the 29 November 1942. He survived this operation and would then have taken part in the following campaign in Tunisia as ground troops, ‘fighting in the line’.

He next took part in Operation ‘Fustian’, which was the parachute assault to capture the Primosole Bridge in Sicily. His Service Records state: ‘Emplaned for unknown destination 13/7/43’. He actually flew on Dakota Aircraft Number, C/N: 88, with fourteen others of ‘B’ Troop, and jumped Number 6, landing accurately on the designated D.Z. Spr. Madden also survived this operation and returned with the Squadron to North Africa.

He next took part in Operation ‘Slapstick’, which was a naval landing at the Italian port of Taranto in September 1943. After advancing as far as Altamura, the Squadron, along with the rest of the 1st Parachute Brigade was halted and went into reserve. On the 20 November 1943 the Squadron embarked at Taranto for Algiers.

The Squadron embarked in North Africa on the 30 November 1943, and disembarked in the United Kingdom, at Liverpool docks, on the 9 December 1943. From Liverpool the Squadron was taken by train to Grantham, and then by bus to their billets at Donington in Lincolnshire.

On Sunday, 17 September 1944 he boarded a Dakota aircraft of the 61st Troop Carrier Group, U.S.A.A.F. at Barkston Heath aerodrome, and flew to D.Z. ‘X’ near Renkum in Holland as part of the 1st Lift of operation ‘Market-Garden’.

Spr. Madden had been Lieutenant Peter Stainforth’s batman on previous campaigns, and had this role again on Operation ‘MARKET’.

Spr. William ‘Billy’ Madden was reported as killed in action on Sunday, 17 September 1944, (this is incorrect and should read Monday, 18 September), aged 27.

He was initially buried in the garden of the Hoogstede House, Utrechtseweg, on the western outskirts of Arnhem. The son of James and Annie Madden, of Litherland, Liverpool, he now lies at rest in Arnhem/Oosterbeek War Cemetery, 23. A. 4.

MILITARY HISTORY SHEET.

Country.                              From.                    To.                          Years & Days.

Home (Deferred).            25/09/40.             16/10/40.             22 days.

Home.                                  17/10/40.             29/10/42.             2 years & 13 days.

North Africa.                      30/10/42.             26/11/43.             1 year & 28 days.

Home.                                  27/11/43.             16/09/43.             295 days.

N.W. Europe.                     17/09/44.             17[18]/09/44.     1 day.

NOTES:

[1] Service Records.

[2] Parachute Course Report, R.A.F. Ringway. May 1942.

[3] From Phil Halliwell. 15 April 2026.

Researched and written by Robert Hilton.