Russell Cyril James Stone
Born 7 Apr 1923 - Died 20 Oct 2026
- Service number
- WWII 442376 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Last rank
- WW2 Corporal/Military NZIPP Veteran Portrait Project New Zealand Army NZIPP Veteran Portrait Project
- New Zealand Army, Territorial Force AWMM
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Russell Cyril James AWMM
- Surname
- Stone AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- WWII 442376 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- —
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 7 Apr 1923 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- WW2 21 Williamson Ave., Grey Lynn AWMM
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- —
- Relationship status
- —
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
- —
- Service number
- WWII 442376 AWMM
- Military service
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- —
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 New Zealand Corps of Signals AWMM New Zealand Army AWMM
- WW2 Wireless Mechanic/Military AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM
2nd Embarkation AWMM - Post WW2 New Zealand Army, Territorial Force AWMM
3rd Embarkation AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- —
Last known rank
- Last rank
- WW2 Corporal/Military NZIPP Veteran Portrait Project
New Zealand Army NZIPP Veteran Portrait Project - 1961 AWMM New Zealand Army, Territorial Force AWMM
- WW2 Corporal/Military NZIPP Veteran Portrait Project
- Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Russell Cyril James Stone ONZM (7 April 1923 – 20 October 2026) was a New Zealand historian, author, World War II veteran and Emeritus Professor at the University of Auckland.
Drafted into the New Zealand Army in December 1941, he served with the New Zealand Corps of Signals before transferring to the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1944 as a wireless mechanic. He remained in service until 1946 but did not serve overseas during World War II. He later served in the Territorial Force from 1951 to 1961.
Widely regarded as the ‘Father of Auckland history’, Stone was a pioneering scholar of local and urban history. His extensive research and publications, including From Tamaki-makau-rau to Auckland (2001), made a lasting contribution to understanding the history of Tāmaki Makaurau. He was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2002 for services to historical research.
Stone died on 20 October 2026, aged 103.
Ballot number listed as 444798. AWMM
About death
- Death
- 20 Oct 2026 AWMM
Age 103 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- —
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- —
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- STONE, Emeritus Professor Russell Cyril James ONZM Service Reg No 444798, Lance Corporal, NZ Army; Service Reg No 442379, Aircraftsman 1st Class, RNZAF. Passed away peacefully on Tuesday, 20 October, 2026, aged 103 years. Cherished husband of the late Mary; much-loved father of Paul, Liz and Catherine; father-in-law of Martin and Bridget; and grandfather of Ella (and partner Nicole) and Lauren. "Deeply missed by all. The preeminent historian of Auckland has left us." Heartfelt thanks to the wonderful staff of Ranfurly Veterans' Hospital for their unfailing care. A service to honour and celebrate Russell's life will be held in St Mary's in Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Parnell Road, Parnell, on Thursday, 29 October, at 1.00 pm. The service will be livestreamed https://www.dils.co.nz/tributes/?funeral=MoGx3 and tributes can be left.
Published by The New Zealand Herald on Oct. 24, 2026. AWMM - Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- —
Sources
- External links
- IN HONOUR: New Zealand’s surviving WWII veterans (Stuff.co.nz). Published 25 April 2020.
https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2020/in-honour/index.html
Further Reference - Wikipedia Entry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Stone
Further Reference - Group. Wireless Mechanics course No. M16, Electrical and Wireless School, RNZAF Station Wigram. L-R: Back; RJ Leach, JW Percy, KI Peace, D Hooper, D Grey-Young. Third row; D Taylor, DH Spence, J Haslett, PL Moss, NP Harris.
Second row; CES Braggins, LR McAuley, LR Preston, CG Browne, MC Cox, CD Provan, RCJ Stone. Front; AS Hyde, WA Manning, B Dooling, JH Jull, HT Killip. Air Force Museum of New Zealand (MUS1100115)
https://fotoweb.airforcemuseum.co.nz/fotoweb/archives/5003-Search-the-Collection/Collection/MUS1100115.jpg.info
Further Reference - Obituary
https://notices.nzherald.co.nz/nz/obituaries/nzherald-nz/name/emeritus-professor-russell-stone-onzm-obituary?id=62816127
Further Reference - Bryder, Linda (22 October 2026). Russell Stone: a scholar and a gentleman. University of Auckland News.
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/10/22/russell-stone-obituary.html
Further Reference - Honouring Russell Stone ONZM (22 October 2026). Auckland Library Heritage Trust.
https://www.alht.org.nz/blog/post/171843/honouring-russell-stone-onzm/
Further Reference
- IN HONOUR: New Zealand’s surviving WWII veterans (Stuff.co.nz). Published 25 April 2020.
- References
- This record was partially compiled from information provided by the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photographers (NZIPP) Veteran Portrait Project.
- Stone, R. C. J. (2017). As it was : growing up in Grey Lynn and Ponsonby between the wars. Mangawhai, Northland, New Zealand : David Ling Publishing
- Campbell, J. L. (2017). Reminiscences of a long life (R. C. J. Stone, Ed.). David Ling Publishing Limited.
- Stone, R. C. J. (1967). Economic development, 1870-1890 : and the social consequences. Auckland, N.Z. : Heinemann Educational Books,
- Stone, R. C. J. (1971). The British Labour movement, 1868-1914. Auckland [N.Z.] : Heinemann Educational Books.
- Stone, R. C. J. (1975). The drift to war : international relations : origins of World War II. Auckland [N.Z.] : Heinemann Educational.
- Stone, R. C. J. (2007). Logan Campbell’s Auckland : tales from the early years. Auckland, N.Z. : Auckland University Press.
- Stone, R. C. J., & Dilworth Trust Board. (1995). James Dilworth. Auckland, N.Z. : Dilworth Trust Board.
- Stone, R. C. J., & Russell, McVeagh, McKenzie, Bartleet & Co. (1991). The making of Russell McVeagh : the first 125 years of the practice of Russell McVeagh McKenzie Bartleet & Co., 1863-1988. Auckland, N.Z. : Auckland University Press.
The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.
Online Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.