John Victor Opynshae Macartney-Filgate, CBE, MC, TD Master 1848-1950
Known in the family as 'Jack' he was born on 20 May 1897, the only son of Colonel Edward John Patrick Macartney-Filgate of Hillbrook, Castleknock, Co. Dublin and his wife Bertha Eugenie Lomax. He was educated at Rugby School from January 1911 to 1915 (VI; R VIII, 1915; Cadet Officer) and Matriculated at University College, Oxford.
He was first commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery (Special Reserve) on 26 July 1915 and promoted Lieutenant on 1 July 1917. He served during the Great War as a Major in 162nd Brigade, RFA and was twice wounded (August 1916 and April 1918). He was promoted acting Major, RFA TF on 3 April 1918.
He received the Military Cross as Lieut. (Acting Capt.) RFA SR in the London Gazette of 19 November 1917. The citation was published in the London Gazette of 22 March 1918 in the following terms:
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When his battery was heavily shelled, and many casualties occurred, he assisted in getting the wounded away and organized detachments to keep the guns in action. On another occasion, when his battery was heavily shelled, two guns being disabled and several casualties caused, he got the wounded away and kept his remaining guns in action under difficult conditions. His wonderful courage undoubtedly set a fine example to his men.'
On 16 December 1920, he married Beatrice Helen Angela Neville, second daughter of Reginald James Neville Neville and Ida Henderson, with whom he had two sons and a daughter. His father in law was also Master Bowyer 1929 - 1930.
From 1919 to 1921 he was Assistant Parliamentary Secretary to the British Commonwealth Union and from 1921 to 1964 he was with Lazard Bros. & Co., Ltd., foreign bankers where he rose to be a Managing Director. For some time he lived at 115 Avenue Elizabeth, Berchem, Antwerp, Belgium. He was a Fellow of the Institute of Bankers and Council Member from 1954 to 1964.
He was promoted Major, Reserve of Officers on 30 August 1939. During the 1939-45 War he served with a Royal Artillery anti-aircraft unit in the defence of London before being posted to the Far East, arriving in Batavia, Java with 48th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment in early February 1942. He was promoted to Lt. Col. and took command of the regiment on 2 March 1942. Unfortunately, operations in the Dutch East Indies did not go well and by the end of March, capitulation had taken place, Macartney-Filgate becoming a prisoner of the Japanese for the duration of the war.
He received the Territorial Decoration notified in the London Gazette of 21 April 1950. He ceased to belong to the TA Reserve of Officers with effect from 22 November 1950 and was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the London Gazette of 1 June 1964. He died on 23 July 1964. He was the author of The History of the 33rd Divisional Artillery in the Great War 1914-1918 and also left an unpublished record of the 48th LAA Regiment which is held by the Royal Artillery records.
He was Master Bowyer from 1948 to 1950.
Sources: Rugby School Register, Annotated, 1892-1921; Rugby School War Register; Oxford University Roll of Service; various Army Lists.