Lieutenant John T M MacFadden

John Terence Moore MacFadden from Belfast was the son of Dr. Arthur William James MacFadden, CB, MB, and Alice B MacFadden.

John Terence Moore MacFadden was born on the 26 January 1916 at Hampstead in London. He was the son of Dr Arthur William James MacFadden, CB, MB, and Alice B MacFadden (nee Spence).

He grew up with three brothers and two sisters. He was granted an emergency commission as a Second Lieutenant in The Royal Ulster Rifles on the 19 November 1939, and was promoted to war Substantive Lieutenant on the 19 May 1941. Whilst serving with the 1st Bn, The Royal Ulster Rifles in the Airlanding Brigade he completed Parachute Course 26 at RAF Ringway, 6 –12  September 1942. Whilst the other five officers and twenty-six Other Ranks did 4 jumps, he did the full course of 7 to qualify as a ‘full’ parachutist.

He volunteered for the 1st Parachute Brigade and joined the 1st Parachute Battalion in North Africa on  the 15 April 1943 He took part in both Operation ‘Fustian’ in Sicily (13/14 July 1943) and Operation ‘Slapstick at Taranto in Southern Italy (September – December 1943).

John flew to DZ ‘X’ near Heelsum on Sunday, 17 September 1944 from Barkson Heath aerodrome, as part of the 1st Lift of Operation ‘Market-Garden’. He was wounded and taken prisoner sometime between the 18 and 19 September 1944, during the ‘Battle of Arnhem’.

He was taken to the ‘Airborne Hospital’ at the Willem III Barracks in Apeldoorn and left there, as walking wounded, on the 26 September 1944. Whilst the others were all taken to Stalag 11B at Falingbostel, he was taken to Stalag 9A at Ziegenhain, Germany (POW No. 2115).

He died of polio on the 4 October 1944, aged 28. He is buried in Hanover War Cemetery, Germany in grave 15. F. 6. Profile photo taken at the Italian Army Barracks in Barletta, Italy. October 1943.