John Robert McGruther

Major

Conflict:

WW2

Additional Information:

Son of Mr. and Mrs. John McGruther, of Te Awamutu, Auckland, New Zealand.

References:

CWGC

NZ WAR GRAVES

Biographical Notes:

Major John Robert McGruther (24th Battalion) ASSISI Cemetery, Italy
Jock McGruther attended King's College, Auckland (St John's House) from 1929 to 1934. He was Head Boy and a member of the rugby team and was subsequently on the teaching staff of King's School. He was commissioned in the 1st Echelon and served in Greece and Crete. He was wounded and invalided back to New Zealand in 1941. He returned to serve on the instructional staff of NMDSI at Narrow Neck in January 1942 where he remained until the end of 1943 with the rank of Captain. He was chief instructor when he left and returned to the fighting front in January 1944, having taken a drop in rank to Lieutenant. He soon regained his captaincy and was almost immediately promoted to Temporary Major.
Jock was killed in action at Monte Camurcina (south west of Florence). On the morning of 14 July the headquarters was being heavily mortared from about 7 am. Shortly before 10 am Major McGruther was badly wounded by shellfire. Sergeant Thompson promptly came up from the RAP to carry him out, only to find on arrival that Major McGruther had died in the meantime.
Source – Cenotaph, Auckland War Memorial Museum.

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Casualty

Service Number:

2699

Name:

John Robert McGruther

Rank:

Major

Date of Birth:

Not known

Place of Birth:

Tamahere, Waikato, New Zealand

Next of Kin:

Mr John McGruther (father), Pirongia, via Te Awamutu, New Zealand

Date of Enlistment:

Not known

Enlistment Address:

Pirongia, via Te Awamutu, Waikato, New Zealand

Occupation on Enlistment:

Farmer

Armed Force:

Army

Unit:

New Zealand Infantry, 24 Battalion

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Date of Death:

14 July 1944

Day of Death:

Friday

Age at Death:

Conflict:

WW2

Embarkation Details

Text in italics supplied by Cenotaph Online, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Cemetery

Cemetery:

Assisi War Cemetery

Cemetery Reference:

VI, G, 1.

Cemetery Location:

Italy