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4311781 Leading Aircraftsman John Murray STEWART.
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. A.M. Stewart of ONEHUNGA.

John Stewart was born at Auckland on the 10th July 1924, and obtained his secondary education at the Mt. Albert Grammar School, passing the University entrance examination. He was mobilised for service with the 9th Heavy Regiment, New Zealand Artillery in January 1943 and was still serving at the time of applying for enlistment in the Air Force in September of the same year.

Leading Aircraftsman Stewart was transferred from the Army on the 8th September and posted to Harewood a week later for his recruit training. He was transferred to the Delta on the 17th October and to Wigram on the 8th February 1944 for training as an Instrument Mechanic. After completing the course and being reclassified to Leading Aircraftsman, he was posted to Hamilton for duty, before embarking for Fiji on the 9th October.

Leading Aircraftsman Stewart was a passenger in a Catalina aircraft engaged on the 27th January 1945 in a test flight, and which crashed into the sea near Suva. Leading Aircraftsman Stewart was classified as missing. His body was not recovered and in due course his death was officially presumed to have occurred at sea without trace on the 27th January 1945.

5/2/20616 A.S.2.

Mrs. M.R. Stewart (M), (right aligned)
109 Campbell Road (right aligned)
Onehunga (right aligned)
AUCKLAND (right aligned)