John Randal Bradburne (1921–1979) was born in Cumberland, England, the son of an Anglican clergyman. Educated at Gresham’s School, he served with the Gurkhas and Chindits during World War II, seeing action in India and Burma. These experiences left him deeply unsettled and sparked a lifelong spiritual search that eventually led to his conversion to Catholicism in 1947 at Buckfast Abbey.

After his conversion, Bradburne lived as a wanderer for many years, seeking a place where he could fully dedicate himself to God. He joined the Secular Franciscan Order in 1956 and traveled widely, attempting life in different religious communities but never finding a lasting home. A gifted poet, he poured his restless heart into verse, producing what is thought to be one of the largest bodies of poetry in the English language.

In 1969, Bradburne settled in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) at the Mutemwa Leprosy Settlement, where he devoted himself to the care of men and women suffering from leprosy. When civil conflict intensified, he refused to abandon those he served. On September 5, 1979, he was abducted and killed by guerrillas, giving his life in witness to his faith.