Notes
John Skinner was born in London on 11 December 1920, the elder son of Colonel Edward Skinner DSO DL JP, of the Royal Artillery, and Emmeline (née Miles). He was educated at Eton College until 1939 and entered Worcester College on 13 October 1939 but left to join the army in 1941, without taking a degree,. During his time in Oxford John Skinner rowed in the College Eight, and was elected captain of the Oxford University Boat Club.
He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 19th (King George V’s Own) Lancers, Indian Armoured Corps and joined them in the field on 6 May 1942 where he was attached to A Squadron. In March 1945 the regiment was involved in operations against the Japanese at the village of Tamandu in Burma [now Myanmar] where John Skinner was acting as Forward Tank Officer.
Having successfully completed the operation Lieutenant John Skinner was walking back to his lines when he was killed by an enemy shell on 13 March 1945. He was 24 years old.
John Skinner is buried in Taukkyan War Cemetery in Myanmar. He is commemorated on the war memorial at Worcester College, Oxford.