John Macdonald (British Army officer, born 1907)

Major-General John Frederick Matheson Macdonald CB, DSO, OBE (1907 – 29 May 1979) was a senior British Army officer.

John Macdonald
Born1907
Died29 May 1979 (aged 71–72)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army
Years of service1927–1961
RankMajor-General
Service number38523
UnitKing's Own Scottish Borderers
Commands held1st Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers
28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade
31st Infantry Brigade
52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division
Battles/warsSecond World War
Korean War
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Officer of the Order of the British Empire

Military career edit

Macdonald entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, from where he was commissioned into the King's Own Scottish Borderers on 1 September 1927[1] and served in the Second World War.[2]

He commanded the 1st Battalion, the King's Own Scottish Borderers on its deployment to Korea in April 1951[3][4] and then took command of the 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade in Korea in October 1951.[5] His brigade saw action at the First Battle of Maryang-san in October 1951 during the Korean War.[6]

He went on to be commander of 31st Infantry Brigade in November 1952, Deputy Director of Quartering at the War Office in January 1956 and Chief of Staff at Scottish Command in March 1957.[7] His last appointment was as General Officer Commanding 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division in 1958 before retiring in 1961.[7]

Works edit

  • Macdonald, John F. M. Borderers in Korea. Berwick-upon-Tweed: Martin's Printing Works.

References edit

  1. ^ "No. 33308". The London Gazette. 2 September 1927. p. 5675.
  2. ^ "No. 36680". The London Gazette. 29 August 1944. p. 4056.
  3. ^ Hunt, Derek; Mulholland, John (2013). Beyond the Legend: Bill Speakman VC. Spellmount. ISBN 978-0752494302.
  4. ^ "King's Own Scottish Borderers in Korea 1951 to 1952". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  5. ^ "Obituary: Major General J.F.M. Macdonald of Heiskeir and Skaebost CB DSO OBE". Clan Donald Magazine. 1981. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  6. ^ "King's Own Scottish Borderers in Korea". Britain's small wars. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Army Commands" (PDF). Retrieved 23 June 2020.
Military offices
Preceded by GOC 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division
1958–1961
Succeeded by