John MacDonald: key obituary facts
Is John MacDonald dead? Yes. John MacDonald died on May 2, 2026, at age 88.
Cause of death: John MacDonald's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was John MacDonald known for?
He was a British army officer and Scotland international rugby player.
More about John MacDonald
Born: 5 April 1938.
Place of birth: Kirkcaldy.
Gender: male.
Occupation: rugby union player.
Nationality: United Kingdom.
Education: George Watson's College, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Awards: Companion of the Order of the Bath, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
Also known as: John Donald MacDonald.
John MacDonald, the British major general and former Royal Corps of Transport officer who also represented Scotland as a rugby union international, died on May 2, 2026, aged 88.
Born John Donald MacDonald in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, on April 5, 1938, he attended George Watson’s College and played rugby for Watsonians. He won eight caps for Scotland, appearing across the 1966 and 1967 Five Nations Championships.
A prop, he was also an adept place kicker, though Scotland did not use him in that role.