John A. McQueen

Lieutenant John Alexander McQueen, M.C, who was killed in action on the 11th of December, was the elder son of Mr. John McQueen, of Invercargill. After finishing his education at the Invercargill High School, he came to Lincoln College, and at the end of his course won the gold medal. From here he went to Otago University to qualify for his B.Ag. and his goal was within sight when the war broke out, and he immediately enlisted as a private. He left as a sergeant in the Main Body, and was wounded on Gallipoli where he took part in the landing. In France he won his commission and was one of the two officers of the battalion to come scathless through the Somme fighting. He never had a great deal to say of his own work, and even made light of his Military Cross, remarking in a letter that "he had put his hand into the bran tub and drawn a prize.'' Source: Canterbury Agricultural College Magazine, June 1918, pp546-547.