McCardie’s actions during the Battle of Arnhem epitomized the courage
of the British paratroopers. His leadership in the face of overwhelming
odds and his personal bravery in going forward under re, which led
to his capture, were a testament to his dedication to his men and his
mission. He would spend the remainder of the war as a prisoner of
war, having been captured at Arnhem. He was sent to Stalag Luft 1, a
POW camp near Barth in Germany, POW numner 5977.
In a letter to Major Cain, wrote after McCardie had returned home in
1945, he said: “I still can’t believe that I was taken prisoner. It was
a thing that I vowed should never happen. I was trying to get to A
Company, to nd out why the hell they weren’t shooting at those tanks,
and I suppose that something must have red at me. In any rate, I found
myself under two feet of earth with two Germans pointing Schmeissers
at me”.
He was awarded the Military Cross (MC) on November 9, 1944.
After his release, Derek McCardie joined the Parachute Regiment and
was given command of the 17th Parachute Battalion in Palestine. He
retired from the army in 1955.
In later life, he bought a shop in the late 1960s and gave it the name
“Big Fish.” He died on April 3, 1977.