Donald John McInnes was born on the 11 September 1917. On some records he is listed incorrectly as ‘MacInnes’

He enlisted into The Cameron Highlanders on the 15 February 1940. ^[1]

He volunteered for Airborne Forces and participated on  Parachute Course 52 at RAF. Ringway, 22 February – 8 March 1943. However, he did not complete the course as he suffered a slight concussion on his fourth aircraft descent. He was awarded 2 days disability – ‘on the sick’. ^[2]

Donald was then sent on Parachute Course 53, which ran from the 1 to 14 March 1943, where he completed one more aircraft and a night balloon descent to qualify as an Army Parachutist. His Parachute Instructors comments: ‘Satisfactory work’. ^[2]He was then posted to a unit in the 2^nd Parachute Brigade (possibly the 5^th Parachute Battalion) and went to North Africa, landing in Algeria on the 26 April 1943.

It is possible he was posted to a unit in the 1^st Parachute Brigade, as a reinforcement, and took part in the drop in Sicily, 13/14 July 1943, where he was slightly wounded.

He may also have taken part in Operation ‘Slapstick’, the naval landing action at the port of Taranto, Italy, September 1943.

Donald then transferred to The Sherwood Foresters on the 30 November 1943, as he was applying for a Commission. ^[1]

He was discharged to a Commission, as a Second Lieutenant, on the 9 June 1944. ^[1]

Donald then passed Parachute Course 121 at RAF Ringway, 18 June – 3 July 1944. Upon completion he was posted to No 1 Airborne Forces Holding Unit, Clay Cross, Derbyshire. ^[3]

He was promoted to War Substantive Captain on 25 July 1945 and as a Temporary Major on 25 July 1946.

November 1946 (according to photo’s) he arrived in Port Said and was in Cairo in December 1946.

NOTES:

[1] The Parachute Regiment, Transfer & Enlistment Book 05, page 80.

[2] Parachute Course Reports, RAF. Ringway. March 1943.

[3] Parachute Course Report, RAF. Ringway. July 1944.

Researched and written by Robert Hilton