Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Second son of James Maurice & Gladys MAHADY, 'The Wilgas' Delungra, NSW.

Mas was the brother of John, Tony and Joan.  He grew up on the family wheat farm and enjoyed hunting foxes, rabbits and eages.  He also enjoyed his social life having many friends.  After a joy ride with Kingsford Smith in the Southern Cross he joined the air force and became a spitfire pilot in the RAF.  Max enjoyed living in England and even met Princess Elizabeth.  After joining the RAAF he was transferred to Africa where he was shot down and spent the next three years as a prisoner of war in Germany.  Max endured many hardships, both physically and mentally during this time.  He was recorded in history as the first Australian pilot to shoot down a German aircraft in Africa.  He was also the pilot who discovered tht Tobruk had fallen.  He was shot down at Sidi Barrani, Egypt on26 June 1942, he reported later - engaged by ME109s, my number two being shot down.  I destroyed on probably a scond.  A heavy bust of cannon fire knocked my engine out and the aircraft caught fire, to low to jump, I crash landed and received injuries.  The aircraft was burning rapidly when I last saw it approximatley 400 yards from the coast and is 15 miles east of Sidi Barrani.  After being shot down he walked 50 miles to the front line and was picked up by an Italian Patrol.  He was interned at PG57 in Italy and Stallag Luf 3 in German. While at Stallag Luf 3 he participated in the Famous Wooden Horse Escape.

He was demobilised on the 30th October 1945 after serving 1155 days overseas, 980 of these as a prisoner of war.

After the war he grew wheat like his father but had trouble settling into civilian life.  He never married nor made commitments, he lived for his mates as many POW's did.  When asked of his past he would simply say that tomorrow is all that matters.

After retiring from the Australian Wheat Board at the age of sixty-five he moved to Queensland and worked with his brother Tony and Tony's five sons for the next twenty years.

Max enjoyed watching football and cricket and loved to bet on the race horses.  He was a proud member of the Sprinsure RSL where he always attended monthly meetings.  The returned servicemen were like family to Max.

Max lived a private life and was fiercely independent, he had extremely high morals and was an inspiration to those who knew him.