Private James Madden

James Madden, son of Thomas and Margaret Madden, of King's Lynn, Norfolk enlisted into the General Service Corps and was then posted the Royal Norfolk Regiment.

Private Madden volunteered for airborne forces in June 1943 and qualified as a military parachutist on course 74, which ran at RAF Ringway from 23 July to 3 August 1943. The course report states: ‘Pte Madden: Average, but very keen, good cheerful type.’

After initially being posted to the Holding wing at Hardwick Hall, near Chesterfield, he went to R Company, the 1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (1 Para Bn).

He transferred to the 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment, probably in North Africa prior to going to Italy. 

Pte Madden served in Italy and died on 17 May 1944, aged 21 years. After an initial burial he was reinterned at the Cassino Memorial, Italy on 21 July 1945.