Tommy Macpherson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
CBE, MC**, TD, DL
Tommy Macpherson
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| Born | October 4, 1920 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | November 6, 2014 (aged 94) |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
 British Army |
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| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
Colonel Sir Ronald Thomas Stewart Macpherson (October 4, 1920 – November 6, 2014) was a very brave British Army officer. He served during and after the Second World War. He was known as the "Kilted Killer" by enemy forces. This was because he wore a kilt and caused a lot of trouble for them.
He fought with a special unit called No. 11 (Scottish) Commando. He also worked with the French Resistance, a group fighting against the German occupation. He damaged so much enemy equipment that a huge reward was offered for his capture. For his bravery, he received several important awards. These included the Military Cross and the Croix de Guerre three times. He also received the Légion d'honneur.
Contents
Early Life and School
Tommy Macpherson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the youngest of seven children. His family came from Newtonmore in the Scottish Highlands. But he grew up in the city of Edinburgh.
He went to Edinburgh Academy and then Cargilfield Preparatory School. At age 14, he attended Fettes College. There, he joined the Officers' Training Corps, learning military skills. He later studied at Trinity College, Oxford, a famous university. He earned a top degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. He was also a talented athlete. He played rugby, hockey, and ran track for Oxford. He even represented the UK in running at an international student event in 1947.
Military Adventures
Macpherson joined the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in 1939. This was a part-time army unit. In 1940, he joined No. 11 (Scottish) Commando, a special forces group.
Escaping Capture in North Africa
In 1941, Macpherson was part of a small team. They were scouting beaches for a raid on German General Erwin Rommel's headquarters. After their mission, they were supposed to meet a submarine. But the submarine never showed up. They decided to walk to Tobruk, a long journey without food or maps.
Macpherson and another soldier, Corporal Evans, were captured by Italian forces. During questioning, Macpherson tricked his captors. He showed them how his gun worked, then used it to hold them at bay. But he got a cramp and was recaptured. He tried to escape again but failed. He was then sent to a prisoner of war camp in Italy.
Escaping German Camps
In 1943, German forces took over the Italian camp. Macpherson and other prisoners were moved to Germany. On the way, he tried to escape from his guards but was caught again. He was almost shot, but an officer stopped it.
He was then sent to a camp in Austria. There, he and a New Zealander, Captain Colin Armstrong, hid from the Germans. They got French uniforms from other prisoners. They escaped on September 21, 1943. They tried to reach Yugoslavia to join friendly fighters.
But they were caught again by a German patrol. Macpherson pretended to be an Italian officer. However, their Red Cross food packages gave them away. They were sent to another camp in Poland. On October 9, they escaped again with help from two other soldiers. They traveled through Poland to Sweden. Finally, they flew back to Scotland on November 4, 1943. This was two years after his first capture! For his amazing escapes, Macpherson received the Military Cross medal in 1944.
Secret Missions in France
Soon after returning, Macpherson joined a secret mission called Operation Jedburgh. Small teams of three people were sent into enemy-occupied Europe. Their job was to cause trouble for the enemy. They would blow up things and help local resistance fighters.
Macpherson was promoted to Major and led a team called Quinine. His team included a French lieutenant, Prince Michel of Bourbon-Parma, and a British radio operator.
Fighting with the French Resistance
On June 8, 1944, they parachuted into Aurillac, France. Macpherson wore his full Scottish uniform, including a kilt. Local French fighters were surprised to see him. They even thought he was a woman at first! Macpherson said his kilt and bold style helped him lead the resistance.
He immediately took action. The next night, they blew up a railway bridge. They soon learned that a powerful German tank division was moving towards the Normandy beaches. Macpherson decided to slow them down. They set up ambushes, mining roads and trees. They blocked the road by blowing up the lead German vehicle. Then, they cut down trees to stop the Germans from going around them.
They continued to attack German roads and railways. They completely stopped train traffic in some areas. In one attack, Macpherson and his team trapped 300 Germans in a railway tunnel for days.
Macpherson became very famous among the French Resistance. He drove around openly in a black car with British and French flags. The Nazis were so angry that they offered a 300,000 franc reward for him. They called him "a bandit masquerading as a Scottish officer."
In one clever move, Macpherson booby-trapped a railway crossing barrier. When a German car approached, the barrier crashed down, killing the German commander and his driver.
As Allied forces advanced, Macpherson even negotiated the surrender of two large German units. One of these was a group of 23,000 German soldiers. He met with the German general, dressed in his full Highland uniform. He bluffed that he would call in heavy artillery and air strikes if they didn't surrender. The general agreed, and his forces surrendered to the Americans.
Operations in Italy
In November 1944, Major Macpherson led Italian fighters. They attacked railways in northern Italy. This helped disrupt German defenses. During one Allied air raid, Macpherson saw Italian officers hiding in a bomb shelter. He threw a grenade into the shelter. An Italian officer shot him, but Macpherson managed to wound him back.
After the War
After the war, Macpherson continued to serve in the Territorial Army. He was promoted several times, eventually becoming a Colonel. He was also awarded the Territorial Decoration. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1968 for his service.
In 2010, Macpherson wrote a book about his life called Behind Enemy Lines.
Honors and Awards
Macpherson received many honors throughout his life. He was made a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London in 1977. He also served as High Sheriff of Greater London in 1983. In 1992, he was knighted by the Queen. This means he was given the title "Sir."
Besides his British awards, he also received French honors. These included the Légion d'honneur and the Croix de Guerre. He even received a special knighthood from the Pope.
Family Life
In 1953, Macpherson married Jean Henrietta. They had two sons and one daughter. His family home in the Highlands was near Newtonmore. This area was important to his family's history.
Sir Ronald Thomas Stewart Macpherson passed away on November 6, 2014, at the age of 94. A memorial service was held for him in London.
