John Templeton

In memoriam

John Templeton was the son of John and Ruth Templeton of Ashburton, Canterbury, New Zealand. He was an electrician before enlistment and his employer was c/- Public Works Department, Hokitika, New Zealand. He embarked with the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Second Echelon. His service number was 7227. His next of kin on embarkation was Mrs Ruth Templeton (mother), 10 Cox Street, Ashburton. He was single. The 23rd Battalion, also known as the Canterbury-Otago Battalion, was an infantry battalion of the New Zealand Military Forces during the Second World War. Its personnel were all volunteers were drawn from the South Island of New Zealand. They were formed into four rifle companies, designated A to D and corresponding to the Canterbury, Southland, Nelson/Marlborough/West Coast and Otago districts. After undertaking training at Burnham Camp, the battalion sailed from New Zealand on 1 May 1940, as part of the 5th Infantry Brigade, 2nd New Zealand Division. Sailing on the transport Andes, they made port calls at Perth, in Australia, Cape Town, and Freetown before arriving at Gourock, in Scotland, in June. Following this, the battalion spent the remainder of the year on garrison duties in the south of England where they were positioned to respond in case of a cross-Channel invasion by the Germans in the wake of the Fall of France. The battalion saw action in Greece, Crete, North Africa, and Italy. John Templeton's last rank was Lance Sergeant. He died while a prisoner of war in hospital. He was 35. John Templeton is named on the Ashburton War Memorial (Panel 3 - WW2).

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