53050 Rifleman John Philip Macintire
C company 1st Battalion
3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
2nd February 1918
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Born in Palmerston North, Wellington,
New Zealand on 30/11/1887. His parents were
Dr. John Henry Lee(1854-02/06/1910) and
Ada McDonald(1861-30/09/1946).
They were married in 1887.
John had a brother, Denis Lee(14/05/1894-15/07/1958) and a sister, Annie Raby(1888-09/11/1913).
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In the 1911 New Zealand Electoral Roll, John was recorded as living at 72 Broad Street, Palmerston North, Wellington with his mother and sister. He was employed as an engineer.
He enlisted at Trentham Camp on 19/02/1917,having previously had a medical on 12/02/1917,the record of which is below;
Apparent age - 27 years, Height - 5ft 7 inches, Weight - 9 st 6lbs, Chest Measurement, Minimum - 301/2 inches, Maximum - 35 inches, Complexion - Fair, Colour of Eyes - Brown, Colour of Hair - Dark Brown,
Religious Profession - Protestant.
Whilst at Featherston camp in New Zealand, he was admitted to the hospital there on 02/05/1917at 9.10am with influenza, before being discharged on 09/05/1917.
A letter exists in Johns service record written by Captain Ernest C. Barnett ,NZ Medical Corps dated 26/05/1917 to an unknown recipient; " This is to certify that Priv. P McIntyre was formerly a patient of mine. Barely last year I operated upon him for an inguinal hernia, he recovered fairly well after the operation but has always complained of a good deal of pain walking. Apart from that his general health is not good, he is subject to colds(a sister died of Phthisis)*." * A name previously used to describe tuberculosis.
John left New Zealand on 12/06/1917 embarking from Wellington and spending 2 months at sea before disembarking in Devonport, England on 16/08/1917.
He was marched into Tidworth Camp on 21/08/1917, before moving onto Brocton Camp at some point within the next 2 months, as it was from this camp that John headed to France from on 23/10/1917.
3 days later he was marched into Etaples Camp in France and stayed here until 02/11/1917 when he joined his battalion and was posted to C company.
At the start of the next year John was admitted to hospital on 02/01/1918. Sick was the only reason recorded for this admittance. He re-joined his unit 2 days later.
John was killed in action on 02/02/1918.
He was awarded the 1914-1918 British War and Allied Victory medals.