Help find missing para: Leslie McMahon 6th Airborne Divisional Signals 1920-1945

UPDATE 30/07/2025

We are looking for info about Cpl. Leslie McMahon (formerly thought to be “McPhee”) — Friend of Cpl. Harry Gillard, KIA Operation Varsity. Service number: 855137

Thanks to everyone’s input, we’ve been able to confirm that the man we were searching for was in fact Corporal Leslie McMahon, a close friend of my great-grandfather, Harry Gillard, both of whom served with 6th Airborne Divisional Signals, Royal Corps of Signals during Operation Varsity.

Harry and Leslie ran in opposite directions during the battle, waving to each other, then shortly after Leslie was tragically killed by mortar fire on 24 March 1945, aged 25.

Leslie was born in January 1920 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, son of James William and Ada McMahon. His father was a WW1 veteran of the East Surreys. Leslie originally enlisted in the Royal Artillery, volunteered for airborne forces, and trained at RAF Ringway before being posted to 6th Airborne Div Signals. He was also awarded the Burma Star, indicating prior service in the Far East.

Initially buried in Hamminkeln (Map Ref. 188992), Leslie was reinterred at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery on 13 November 1946. His service number was 855137.

We (myself, cousins, and my grandfather - Harry’s son) will be visiting Reichswald on our way from Hamminkeln to Arnhem, to pay respects at the graves of Lt. Crawford and Cpl. McMahon. Harry never spoke much about either man, but we know he thought highly of them, so piecing this together means a great deal to us. Additionally, any information about the men he fought with (K Section), we would also be grateful for.

Thanks again to everyone helping uncover Leslie’s story. Further service details have been requested via MoD/National Archives.
Thank you to JohnG505 and davidbfpo in particularly for their contributions so far!

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2040095/leslie-mcmahon/
__________

Good evening,

I'm hoping someone can give me a hand in finding a friend of my Great-Grandfather Harry's (his thread can be found here Varsity: Retracing Great-Grandfather's Steps).

We know little about him, and my initial searches have yielded little results.

His name was McPhee (though as Harry specified "Not spelt the usual way")

He was killed either in the Ardennes or Op. Varsity, so either late December '44 or March '45. Possibly some time between then but I doubt it.

McPhee ran one way, and Harry ran the other, they waved, and shortly after McPhee was killed by mortar fire.

He likely fought with Harry which would make him 6th Airborne Royal Signals - or possibly in a unit that fought alongside those.

Apologies for the very vague information, but finding his grave or any information about him would be a nice addition to our trip to France/Netherlands/Germany/Belgium, where we will be visiting sights related to Harry's wartime experience.

Many thanks,

Owen

 

Cee A little afterward following my Great-Grandfather's story you helped develop in such depth. Thank you again for that. Thought you may be interested in this.
Owen

 

Owen,

His name and number have not appeared here before your post.

Always useful to include his Service Number: 855137, Died 24 March 1945 (so not Arnhem). Originally buried @ Haminkeln (Map Ref. 188992) and concentrated 13/11/1946 to Reichswald Cemetery.

From: Corporal Leslie McMahon and a B&W photo that defies my skils to copy and paste here. If your friend is a family member there is more.


From: https://x.com/6thairborne/status/1507078358760370179

His CWGC details also appear on: https://www.nickmetcalfe.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Commemorating-Royal-Signals-War-Dead-Letter-M.pdf

If you search online with: "Airborne Divisional Signals" site:ww2talk.com that will identify a small number of threads, at a glance some refer to Op Varsity.

 

Hi Owen,

Thanks for posting on what is quite a sad story. Best of luck with your visit and, just in case you haven't seen this. Here's Leslie's WW2 medal index card. Interesting to see at some point in his career, he served out East, being awarded the Burma Star.

Kind regards.
John.

 

Thank you for this, John and David. More threads for me to pull! Me, my cousins, and my grandfather (Harry Gillard's son) will be visiting Reichswald Forest War Cemetery on our way from Hamminkeln to Arnhem, to see Lt. Crawford and Cpl. McMahon's graves. Harry thought highly of both men, but never spoke much about either of them, especially McMahon. So anything like this is of great value.
Thanks again,

Owen

 

He originally joined the Royal Artillery and this was before early 1942 - when the system for all soldiers changed.

A parachute battalion was raised in India, numbered as 151st and was posted to Egypt where it became 156th. See: 156th Parachute Battalion (United Kingdom) - Wikipedia Snag, the 156th fought in Italy, but that is not shown on the Medal card.

The definitive record of his service is his record, which is available normally from the MoD / National Archives (TNA), but takes up to a year to be supplied. Details on a PM with research tips next.

 

Hi OwenHowells

I've just re-read your Great grandfather's story, and noted he also served in the far East. Considering Leslie was awarded the Burma Star, I was wondering if the two of them served together out East, and became the best of friends.

Just a thought.

Kind regards.
John.

 

Morning all,
Here is the full image of the one that was originally cropped to just be McMahon. Could this be in Catterick perhaps? I believe the person at the very back middle may be my Great-Grandfather Harry but I am not 100% certain. His image can be found on this thread which is linked to this post, if you'd like to compare.

Photo Credit: Andy Robson on Ancestry

Please see also his temporary grave in Hamminkeln:

Photo Credit: Andy Robson on Ancestry

JohnG505 - possibly. Harry served in India for many years, joining before the war. He did serve in Burma also, but this would have been after Varsity. Perhaps McMahon was there a different time? Shame we can't access his full file.

davidbfpo - Thank you for the extra info! I wonder when he joined the 6th Airborne. Harry was a relative late-comer, training Autumn 1944 after returning from India. Perhaps their close bond was formed because they trained together at Ringway during this time?

Thank you all for your continued contributions and support,

Owen

 

Hi Owen,

I've just applied for Leslie's service record. No cost/no fee to TNA and, as he died in service, no need to get a death certificate.

Sometimes the died in service requests are actioned quite quickly, we'll see.

Kind regards.
John.

 

Owen,

I suggest you change the thread title to one more fitting and the wording can attract attention. Something like Find a lost para: his full name, DoB and unit (spacing may mean some editing). In the the 1st post in bottom left is an Edit button, click on and one of the options is change title (of late sometimes it refuses to appear).

 

JohnG505 - awesome thank you very much! Of course - I forgot that you don’t need a death certificate as he died in service. Looking forward to finding out more.

davidbfpo - Great idea. Will do!

Thanks again
Owen

 

Yeah struggling with this, can't see the edit title button. Will try again later!

 

Hi,

It's under "Thread Tools" near top of page. Example:



Regards ...

 

legend thank you!

 

Hi OwenHowells

Great turnaround by TNA. Two weeks after applying, I've received Leslie McMahon's record of service.

I'll drop you a PM.

Best.
John.

 

Thank you John - I’ll have a look and anything that can help us find more information I’ll post in here. Owen

 

Morning all,

Once again thanks to JohnG505 for sorting the service record, it has brought a great deal of insight into Leslie McMahon's life.It is now likely that John's theory is likely correct- he and Harry served in India together, before serving in the Ardennes and finally during Op. Varsity.

If possible, could anyone have a go at deciphering what is said in this page? There's an awful lot of information there, and I'd like to be able to find more information about his time in India if possible. I believe this page is the key to this, but I'm struggling to break it down.


This is from page 5 of the service file. Here is the file if you are interested:

File download

Many thanks
Owen

 

Service Record: Leslie McMahon 855137 Born 1920 KIA 24 March 1945

I have ignored the original document details (to the best of my knowledge they were not retained for historians). Below are the dates and the information provided (not quotes) and in italics additional information and sources.

Originally I told Owen I would help to translate the postings sheet of his subject’s Service Record, having done that I discovered Owen had a sixty pg. Service Record and went through that looking for details to provide a fuller history.

For some matters there could be further research on this site and elsewhere. Wiki provides pointers, not complete answers. I am not an expert on the Royal Signals.

For reference see: WW2 Abbreviations and Acronyms | Researching the Lives and Records of WW2 Soldiers

Sheet 5 (in three columns)

04/7/39 Embarked for India

30/7/41 War posted Army S.S.

30/8/41 ?L Coy India

No Date Line struck through text and cancelled

21/5/43 Combined Signal School

26/5/43 203 ‘B’ S.S.

01/8/43 201 ‘B’ S.S.

12/8/43 201 ‘B’ S.S.

No date 28 ? HQ Signals

18/10/43 33 I Corps Sigs. 33 Indian Corps? Very limited WW2 entry XXXIII Corps (India) - Wikipedia

14/5/44 X ii List To List X ii (for all ranks evacuated on medical grounds (and the idea being that they would return to their unit of origin in due course); thus, X (ii) referred to soldiers awaiting transfer to a hospital, etc., i.e. being on the sick list). See: Abbreviations in Service Records (UK/ Army/ WWII) : For ref.

22/3/44 33 Corps Sigs.

09/6/44 Embark Bombay to UK

9/7/44 Ex-Overseas Depot Bn. BN Battalion; presumably back in the UK

23/5/44 Proceeded to ? Base? Sub-Area X x List

28/8/44 10 T Bn Training Bn @ Goole? Goole - Wikipedia

26/10/44 10 T. Bn. Depot

00/2/45 (PA) to Airborne Forces PA Permanently Attached?

26/11/44 6 AB Div. Sigs. 6th / 6 Airborne Division; see also Sheet 32 for cross-reference. See: 6th Airborne Division (United Kingdom) - Wikipedia

24/12/44 Embarked UK To NW Europe after Ardennes German attack details in above link

23/02/45 Disembarked UK Division withdrawn to, mentioned in above link

Column 3 refers to Promotions

27/2/41 U LCpl Unpaid Lance-Corporal

01/5/41 PA LCpl Paid

14/8/41 UA Cpl Unpaid Acting Corporal Same date Paid

12/11/41 WS Cpl Wartime Service

18/3/43 AU Sgt Unpaid Acting Sergeant and same date Acting Paid

24/8/43 Revert (Punishment) Explained on Sheet 19 as AWOL (Absent Without Leave) for 1 day 5hrs 30mins and reduced to Wartime Service Corporal.

Sheet 10 &39

Odd parts of medical information that do not refer to him, perhaps the relevant sheet did!

Sheet 16, 21 & 50

Served previously with Territorial Army, with Royal Artillery 233 Field Battery, first as a Boy and then as a Gunner. A pre-war unit and not shown on: Royal Artillery in World War 2 - The Royal Artillery 1939-45

Attested to the Royal Signals @ Dover 13/6/1938 (Home Address @ Deal) and joined unit 7/4/1936 @ Catterick (From Sheet 54).

Sheet 19

Cross-check time spent abroad.

Sheet 21

Cross-check details

Sheet 24

Previously a Coal Miner @ Snowdown Colliery, as a driver underground. For background see: https://www.dovermuseum.co.uk/Exhibitions/Coal-Mining-in-Kent/History/Snowdown-Colliery.aspx and Snowdown - Wikipedia

Sheet 41

Attended Lucknow (India) District Signals 19/8-27/8/1940 for Command Trade Test Board.

Sheet 42

Details training undertaken in 1940

Sheet 44

Details training undertaken in 1939

Sheet 58

Trade Certificate 27/8/1940

Sheet 60

Trade Cert. @ Catterick North Yorkshire 25/5/39

 

Please tip your hat to another signals chap who is but a step and a row away from Leslie McMahon in said CWGC Cemetery.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2040049/james-anderson-mackenzie/

Known as Macky (from MacKe.....) coincidentally rhymes with "McPhee".

He was killed on the 24th too, but I doubt any India connection given his age.

Kind regards, always remember, never forget,

Jim.

 

Wow davidbfpo - that is amazing thank you very much!

“Snowdown was the deepest colliery in Kent reaching well over 3,000 ft (915 metres). It was also the hottest and most humid pit in Kent and was given the name 'Dante's Inferno' by the miners. Regarded by many as the worst pit to work at in Britain, most Snowdown miners worked naked because clothes became too uncomfortable. The miners could consume around 24 pints (14 litres) of water in an 8-hour shift. There were frequent cases of heat stroke.” Tough conditions for anyone, let alone a teenager. Thank you again David.

I'm in the process of requesting Harry's service file, as I have recently had his death certificate. He too was demoted at some point, though we aren't 100% sure what for. The service file might shed some light on it.

JimHerriot - Many thanks for this. I still think McMahon is the person Harry was on about as he specified his name was pronounced differently to how it was spelt, but great find thank you. Will definitely be paying him a visit when we go next Wednesday.

Thanks as always both,

Owen