Biography.guide
Home › People › John MacDonell
Portrait of John MacDonell

John MacDonell

1899 – 1944

British Army officer who served as acting General Officer Commanding 1st Armoured Division during the Second World War

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About John MacDonell

Lived 1899 – 1944 (aged 45).

Colonel John Ronald MacDonell, (4 March 1899 – 5 September 1944) was a British Army officer who served as acting General Officer Commanding 1st Armoured Division during the Second World War.

Military career MacDonell was commissioned into the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers on 21 February 1920. He was appointed adjutant of the Shropshire Yeomanry on 11 November 1928. During the Second World War, he commanded his regiment during the First Battle of Ruweisat Ridge in North Africa in July 1942. He briefly served as acting General Officer Commanding 1st Armoured Division in North Africa from 19 March 1944 to 24 March 1944. He was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and was awarded a bar to his DSO on 3 September 1944, two days before he died in action in Italy on 5 September 1944.

Family He was married to Eldred Mary MacDonell.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Awards
Distinguished Service Order

People in John MacDonell's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John MacDonell's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John MacDonell?

British Army officer who served as acting General Officer Commanding 1st Armoured Division during the Second World War

When was John MacDonell born?

John MacDonell was born on 4 March 1899.

When did John MacDonell die?

John MacDonell died on 5 September 1944.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John MacDonell

· Wikidata: Q111181422

· DBpedia: John MacDonell (British Army officer)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John MacDonell. https://biography.guide/john-macdonell-1899/

MLA: "John MacDonell." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-macdonell-1899/.

Chicago: "John MacDonell." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-macdonell-1899/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:07 UTC