Educated at Kings College. Awarded maroon jersey for athletics. Succeeding academically, he had 3 years of secondary education and in 1937 enrolled in Auckland University Law School.
1939:First Grade Rugby rep for Auckland University.
Early 1939: joined the Territorials. (9th Coast Regiment , RNZA)
First day of WW2: called up for war service and reported for duty as part of the Territorials ( 9th Coast Regiment, RNZA)
1941: Married Patricia Bailey, daughter of Auckland Deputy Mayor, Arthur Bailey. He was married with 1 son at embarkation
1943: John Horrocks declared fit for overseas service, and left with the 2NZEF in July.
Captain Horrocks served throughout the whole Italian campaign. In the battle at the Sangro River crossing on 28th November 1943, his regiment was supporting 5th Brigade, in which his brother, Captain Robert Horrocks, was leading his company across the river. In 1943 Captain Horrocks had been awarded an immediate Military Cross for gallantry in the Desert Campaign, but was killed by enemy gunfire as he crossed the Sangro River.
Captain John Horrocks was awarded an immediate Military Coss at the Senio on 16th December 1944. 32 Officers of 2NZEF RNZA were awarded the Military Cross in WW2, only 5 were immediate.
Also served: F/O (RNZAF) Dean Rainsford Horrocks, (D.1944), Capt Robert Edgeworth Horrocks, 21 Battalion, and Lt. PL Horrocks, 30/35 Battalions.
John Horrocks completed his LLB exams in Italy in October 1945. On returning to New Zealand he also qualified as a chartered accountant. He held a number of national and international directorships, was involved in community groups, Automobile Association.
He was awarded a CBE in 1981, and admitted to the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame in 2001.
He died, six months after his wife, Trish, in September 2003, survived by four sons and a daughter and their grandchildren.
He left a bequest to the Museum Circle Foundation, a charitable trust supporting Auckland Museum, in recognition of his daughter’s work for the Museum and his “own abiding interest.” The Sainsbury Horrocks Pictorial Gallery is named in recognition of this.
Brother of Robert (Bob) Horrocks (25200), Peter Horrocks (64904), Dean Horrocks (NZ412234) and James Horrocks (NZ203260).
Capt J. B. Horrocks, MC, ED; Auckland; born Auckland, 7 Jun 1920; law clerk; CO (Lt-Col) 9 Coast Regt RNZA, 1952-55. (Source: Henderson, J. 22 Battalion. p.405.) AWMM