John McHale from Peterhead, Scotland enlisted into the General Service Corps in March 1943. He then volunteered for airborne forces early in 1944.
Pte McHale qualified as a military parachutist on Course 102 which ran at RAF Ringway from 7 to 18 February 1944. The course instructors' notes recorded ‘Pte McHale: Excellent performer, cheerful and confident’. After initially being posted to the Holding Battalion, he was transferred to 9 Platoon, C Company, 2nd Parachute Battalion.
He saw active service on Operation Market Garden at Arnhem, where he was taken as a Prisoner of War and sent to Stalag 12A in Limburg, Germany.
In March 1946 McHale transferred to the Army Physical Training Corps (APTC).
McHale was demobbed in July 1947, having reached the rank of Sgt Instructor.
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