John Moran enlisted into The South Lancashire Regiment during World War II and was serving with 2nd/4th Battalion when it was turned over to airborne duties in 1943.He qualified as military parachutist on Course 72 which ran from 12 to 23 July 1943 and the following year took part in the Normandy campaign.

He attended RAF Ringway  for a refresher course in July 1945 indicating that he may have been injured during the latter stages of the fighting in Normandy or later in the Ardennes.

After leaving the Army he returned to St Helens where he married and had four children.

John died in 1990 of Coronary Thrombosis after seven years of retirement from the coal mining industry.