Aidan MacCarthy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | 19 March 1913 Castletownbere, County Cork, Ireland |
| Died | 11 October 1995 (aged 82) Northwood, London, United Kingdom |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Air Force |
| Rank | Air Commodore |
| Service number | 23425 |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Officer of the Order of the British Empire George Medal |
| Other work | Doctor |
Air Commodore Joseph Aidan MacCarthy (19 March 1913 – 11 October 1995) was a brave Irish doctor. He served in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He became a prisoner of war of the Japanese. Amazingly, he survived the atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Aidan MacCarthy was born on 19 March 1913. His hometown was Castletownbere in County Cork, Ireland. He was one of ten children in his family. They lived above their family business, MacCarthy's Bar. His grandfather started this business.
Aidan went to Clongowes Wood School. Later, he studied at University College Cork. He earned his medical degree in 1938. After graduating, he moved to the United Kingdom to work as a doctor. He worked first in Wales, then in London.
One evening, he met some old classmates. They decided to join the British armed forces. Aidan became a medical officer. A fun coin toss decided he would join the Royal Air Force.
RAF Career and Heroism
In 1940, Aidan MacCarthy was sent to France. He helped wounded soldiers during the Dunkirk evacuation. This was a very dangerous time. He worked under fire from German planes. In September 1940, he became a flight lieutenant.
The George Medal
The next year, Aidan received the George Medal. This award is for bravery. He earned it for helping rescue the crew of a burning plane. A Wellington bomber had crashed at RAF Honington. Its landing gear failed, and it caught fire on a bomb storage area.
Aidan and another officer, Group Captain John Astley Gray, went into the burning plane. They saved two crew members. Sadly, they could not save the pilot. Both Aidan and Gray were burned during the rescue.
Prisoner of War
In 1941, Aidan was sent to the Far East. He was captured by the Japanese in Sumatra. The ship carrying Allied prisoners to Japan was sunk by a US submarine. Aidan had to care for his patients while floating in the South China Sea.
A Japanese destroyer rescued them at first. But then, the Japanese crew started throwing prisoners back into the sea. The remaining prisoners jumped back into the water. They clung to the wreckage to survive.
A Japanese fishing boat eventually picked Aidan up. He was taken to Japan. There, he looked after Allied prisoners of war. These prisoners were forced to work in terrible conditions. The Japanese thought Aidan was related to the American commander, Douglas MacArthur. Because of this, he was often hit on the head. This may have caused a health problem later in his life.
Surviving Nagasaki
Aidan was in Nagasaki when the atomic bomb was dropped. This happened on 9 August 1945. The prisoners had received a secret radio warning to take cover. They were not told why.
When the war ended, some Australian ex-prisoners wanted to hurt their Japanese guards. Aidan stopped them. He locked the Japanese guards in a cell and threw the key into the sea. This saved the guards' lives.
Aidan MacCarthy was the highest-ranking Allied serviceman in Japan when the Japanese surrendered.
In 1946, Aidan was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. This is another important award. In 1948, he became a squadron leader. He retired from the RAF in 1971. His final rank was Air Commodore. This was the highest rank for non-combat officers.
Later Years and Legacy
After leaving the RAF, Aidan MacCarthy continued to practice medicine. He worked in southern England. In 1979, he wrote a book about his wartime experiences. It was called A Doctor's War.
Death and Recognition
.jpg)
Aidan MacCarthy passed away in Northwood, London on 11 October 1995.
In July 2017, Prince Harry honored Aidan. He named a new RAF medical center after him. It is called the Aidan MacCarthy Medical Centre. It is located at RAF Honington.
Images for kids
-
Maccarthy's Bar and Grocery (1989), where Aidan MacCarthy was born
-
Bob Jackson: A Doctor's War
