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Cenotaph record

John Maguire

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  • Service number
    WWI 15204 AWMM
  • Also known as
    • Jack AWMM
    • Jock AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Last rank
  • War
    World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
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Nominal Roll Vol 2 (Roll 37), Page: 12 - No known copyright restrictions

Nominal Roll Vol 2 (Roll 37), Page: 12 - No known copyright restrictions

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    John AWMM
  • Surname
    Maguire AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    • Jack AWMM
    • Jock AWMM
  • Service number
    WWI 15204 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion
    Church of England, Christian AWMM

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    6 June 1885 AWMM Port Chalmers, Dunedin AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Mrs J. Maguire (wife), care of Miss E. Randell, 75 High Street, Maori Hill, Dunedin, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 26 July 1916 AWMM Married AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
  • Campaign
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    WWI 15204 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW1 Unknown AWMM Paper packer/Civilian AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    • Remarks, Unknown Period AWMM
      sustained back injuries, was gassed, had stomach troubles which were a result of his two years fighting and living in dug outs. AWMM
    • Died of wounds, Cause of Death AWMM
      Result of war injuries AWMM

Last known rank

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  • Last rank

Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • 'While my father was in the thick of the fighting in no-man's land, a shell came over as he was climbing out of the trench and he was buried. He couldn't move and could hardly breathe but he could hear the men above digging. They just got him out in time; he was so weak he couldn't stand up so he was taken to hospital and sent back to New Zealand on the Hospital Ship. He was so glad to be home after being away for two years. He was only home for three months when my Mother who was only 26 died of the flu, the black plague in 1918. I believe that troops brought it back. Hundreds of people died of it.' - His Daughter's Account February 1997 The Hospital ship was the Maheno. AWMM
    • Private J. Maguire served for two years in France, recording his memoirs in a document that is currently held in the Auckland War Memorial Muesum. The donation of it being facilitated by myself, Grant John Maguire - his great grandson. I have a copy of this document and to my knowledge this is the only one.

      He served for two years in France, most notably at the battle of Messines. His main duties were as a runner and scout. His memoirs recount many occasions where he was sent in to no-man's land for reconnaissance. He recalled the whistleing sounds of bullets and the crash of shells, realising if you could hear them then they have missed. Other aspects of his memoirs were his devotion to duty and the carrying out of orders in spite of the lack of explanation as to why/where/who the purposes of were for. Phrases such as "stand to" and "we don't know where we're going but we're on our way" resonate through his narrative.

      The brutlity of war described in this memoir is confronting, with many recounts of hand-to-hand contact with the German soldiers. It is notable however, that he never described at any time his own actions against the Germans. A somewhat stark insight to the depth at which he held the pains of this experience, omitting to describe the fighting he surely must have done.

      He was eventually buried alive in a bomb blast that caved in the parapet he was sheltering in. This event, combined with being gassed on numerous occasions, lead to his convalescence in hospital in England. His CO at the time eventually gave him leave to take up new duties in administrative duties, poignantly quoted by J. Maguire as saying "see that you don't come back" and accompanied by a prolonged handshake that underlined the message.

      This was indded the case with J. Maguire eventually serving out his time and returning to NZ at war's end. Public - Grant - Direct descendant - 21 July 2021 - 'My two years with the troops in France'. A memoir written by J. Maguire 15204
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    Nov 1940 AWMM
    Age 55 AWMM
    Cashmere, Christchurch AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Died of wounds AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Bromley Cemetery, corner of Keighleys and Linwood Avenue, Christchurch, New Zealand AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

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Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of John Maguire

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  • Private J. Maguire served for two years in France, recording his memoirs in a document that is currently held in the Auckland War Memorial Muesum. The donation of it being facilitated by myself, Grant John Maguire - his great grandson. I have a copy of this document and to my knowledge this is the only one.

    He served for two years in France, most notably at the battle of Messines. His main duties were as a runner and scout. His memoirs recount many occasions where he was sent in to no-man's land for reconnaissance. He recalled the whistleing sounds of bullets and the crash of shells, realising if you could hear them then they have missed. Other aspects of his memoirs were his devotion to duty and the carrying out of orders in spite of the lack of explanation as to why/where/who the purposes of were for. Phrases such as "stand to" and "we don't know where we're going but we're on our way
    Public - Grant - Direct descendant - 21 July 2021
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Sources

Sources

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Contributors

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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
21 July 2021Grant Auckland, New ZealandDirect descendant

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