John McFadden was born in Minmi on 2 October 1893, two years after eldest brother Robert. He played football for the Minmi Superior Public School before eventually graduating to Weston before the war. A relative giant (6ft 1/2inch) he was goalkeeper for the Weston seconds. In 1915 he kept against his brother in a Weston married v singles game.
He was one of a group of 21 soldiers from the town of Weston farewelled by the Weston Send-off Committee on 30 March 1916. Upon his return from war it was reported in the Sydney Arrow on Friday 28 June 1918:
To every soldier who was a member, the Weston Club tenders a welcome home when he returns, and gives him a present. To-night (Friday) Company Sergeant-Major McFadden will be entertained at a smoke social, and he will be made the recipient of a handsome gift.
The pleasant mood of this notice cannot hide the sorry tale of John’s war which, despite his rise to Company Sergeant Major, was a epic of sicknesses: Bronchitis, Exhaustion, Inflammation of the foot, Pyrexia and finally the Rheumatism and Trench Fever that saw him discharged and returned to Australia in April 1918. Like Robert, he seemed to have little input into the club post war.
He died on 25 May 1974 at 16 Fifth Street, Boolaroo, NSW.