Name
John Dennis Goulty Macfadyen (MC)
27 Oct 1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/08/1918
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Tank Corps
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Military Cross
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HOURGES ORCHARD CEMETERY, DOMART-SUR-LA-LUCE
A. 81.
France
Headstone Inscription
"THEN HE PASSED OVER AND ALL THE TRUMPETS SOUNDED FOR HIM ON THE OTHER SIDE" JOHN BUNYAN
UK & Other Memorials
Letchworth Town Memorial, Magdalen College War Memorial, Cambridge, Highgate Congregational Church (United Reformed Church) War Memorial
Pre War
John Dennis Goulty Macfadyen was born on 27 Feb 1897 in Stoke on Trent, Staffs, to Dugald Macfadyen, a congregational minister, and Mary Olivia (nee Goulty).
Son of Rev. Dugald Macfadyen, of "Bramble Bank," Alington Lane, Letchworth, Herts, and the late Mary Olivia Macfadyen (nee Goulty).
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Jean Alison (born 1895), John Dennis G, Eric Anderson (born 1901), with Susan Cox (cook, born 1877) and Fanny L Cox (nurse, born 1880) were living at 30, the Elms, Oak Street, Northwood, Hanley, Stoke on Trent.
On the 1911 Census the family of parents, Jean Alison, John Dennis G, Eric Anderson, and Olive Elspeth (born 1903) together with a housemaid, Mildred Daniels (born 1895) were living at 35, Jackson’s Lane, Highgate, Hornsey, Middx.
John was educated at Highgate and Rossall Schools: he obtained an open scholarship in History at Magdalen College, Cambridge and a Cambridge Graduate. he lived at "Bramble Bank", Alington Lane, Letchworth.
John's uncles were Sir Eric Macfadyen and Dr Norman Macfadyen, who it is thought was the first residential doctor in Letchworth. His father had previously been a Minister at Highgate Congregational Church (United Reformed Church).
Wartime Service
John enlisted in 1916 and was commisssioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the Tank Corps. He went to France on 25 Apr 1917 to join 1 Battalion of the Tank Corps.
Tanks were developed in 1915 by Col Swinton and others and in Mar 1916 the headquarters Heavy Section Machine Gun Corps had been was established at Bisley under the command of Col. Swinton. Later this section was moved to Elveden Camp, where six companies of tanks were raised. By 13 Aug 1916 four of these companies began to embark for France, and were used for the first time in action on the battlefield of the Somme at Flers-Courcelette on 15 Sep 1916.
In Nov 1916 the Companies were expanded to Battalions, and the Tank Corps was formed from the Heavy Branch MGC on 27 Jul 1917. On 4 Jul 1918 at Le Hamel and in front of Amiens on 8 Aug 1918, tanks played a central role in the crushing success of the Allied attack. Before Hamel, the Australian Corps carried out intensive training with the tanks in order to overcome lingering doubts after Bullecourthe Battles of Arras) and to tighten up infantry/tank co-operation. 450 tanks took part in the Amiens attack, tank losses were significant and within days of the initial assault the Tank Corps was a temporarily spent force.
John took part in the Battle of Amiens and in the initial assault along the Bray- Albert Road he was killed in action on 8 Aug 1918. He was awarded the Military Cross for his actions that day.
The citation, published 26/ Jul 1918 : "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. On his own initiative he made 4 separate attacks on the advancing enemy, inflicting on them on each occasion very heavy losses. Though subjected to a very heavy bombardment at close range, during which period his tank was on 2 occasions hit by shells, he nevertheless succeeded in keeping it running, and rendered invaluable assistance to the infantry with whom he was co-operating. His courage and dash were most marked."
Additional Information
War gratuity of £5 and arrears of £105 0s 8d was paid to his father.
There was a conscientious objection letter by his father published in The Citizen.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Dan Hill, Janet Capstick, Jonty Wild, Robert Goulty
