Description
1939-45 Star, Africa Star, War and Africa Service Medal, all officially named, Captain John Slade Mcalister, 3rd Recce Bn, South African Tank Corps, a Barrister and Solicitor who fought in the desert.
All 4 medals officially impressed: “92500 J. S. McAlister”
Medals confirmed on service records, all officially named issues from the South African Mint.
With copy service papers, other details including a photograph and biography from “Whos Who”.
MILITARY SERVICE
At the start of his Army Service, he was a part time member of the “Newcastle Dundee Commando” with the rank of Sergeant.
He first passed “Course No 543G – Commando NCO’s Qualifying” at the South Africa Military College from 25/3/1940 – 4/5/1940.
He was then commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the Newcastle-Dundee Commando attending the “Commando Junior Officer’s Course, No 548G” from 30/7/1940 – 7/9/1940 at the SAMC.
Getting his commission he joined on for full time service as an Officer from 25th September 1940, joining the 5th Mounted Regiment at Ladysmith.
Rising to Lieutenant now in the 5th Mounted Regiment from September 1940, he attended “Course NO 672G Regimental Officers Field Duties” at the SAMC from 12/11/1940 – 14/12/1940.
Promoted to Temporary FCaptain 5th Mtd Regt, 12th Dec 1940.
Joining the 1st Armoured Car Regiment, SA Tank Corps, he attended the Intelligence course: “Course No 786G – Intelligence A.C.F. Officers” from 16th April 1941 – 7th May 1941.
Promoted to Captain (Temporary) Paid Liaison Officer to 1st Armoured Regiment SATC on 1st July 1941.
Being posted overseas for war, he was sent over to Port Said in Egypt on the SS Dunera, disembarking on 29th September 1941 joining in the field the 3rd Armoured Car Recce Reconnaissance Battalion of the SA Tank Corps from 14th October 1941.
Following service in the African theatre, he returned back home to South Africa via Suez on the H.T. Sontay on 20th May 1942.
Later once back home being attached to the AFVTC, Armoured Fighting Vehicle Training Centre.
He was “Released fro whole-time military service as medically unfit class E” due to Neurasthenia on 15th July 1943, at Sonderwater Military Hospital.
Neurasthenia is more commonly referred to as “Shell Shock” or modern day PTSD.
PERSONAL LIFE AND CAREER, A TALENTED SOLICITOR
Mr John Slade McAlister, was prior to signing up to fight in the war, a Lawyer who fulfilled many roles being a: “Solicitor, Notary Public, Conveyancer, Barrister and Commissioner of Oaths”.
He was born in Maritzburg, Natal, and educated at Hilton College in Maritzburg, the well regarded old Private Boarding School in Natal.
The son of Kevin Wallace McAlister of Maritzburg, originally a native of Inverness, Scotland.
His father was a long time Civil Servant and by the time of his death in 1949, Retired Registrat Supreme Court of Natal.
His middle name “Slade” was the maiden name of his mother, Edith Amy nee Slade who came from England.
John first qualified at Maritzburg, spending 5 years working with Mr Frank Shaw, and afterwards with Shaw & Co in Maritzburg.
He went on to Msinga in 1934, and was in Dundee about 1936.
He was awarded the Connor Prize in 1931, which was no easy feat, the Connor Prize was given out by the Natal Law Society, for the student who scored the highest marks in the Natal Law Certificate examinations that year.
During his life he married, firstly to Frances Elizabeth Jones during December 1936 whilst working as an Attorney in Greytown, where Frances was a local Telephonist.
After the war he had become divorced and remarried to Mary Mulgrew, who was a Nurse at Grey’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, during October 1948.
John later died on 19th February 1964, aged 55 of cardiac failure, he was a “Solicitor at Shepstone and Wylie”.
