John Reid joined the New Zealand Division of the Royal New Zealand Navy and was sent to serve with the Royal Navy. He was a Stoker 2nd Class when he died at the sinking of HMS Neptune. Neptune was part of a fleet that patrolled in the Mediterranean during December 1941. On 19 December, 1941 Neptune sailed into a minefield off the coast of Tripoli, Libya and sank. From a crew of 764, including 150 New Zealanders, there was only one survivor. Reid was aged only 19 when he lost his life aboard Neptune.
The New Zealand Memorial Cross is awarded to the next of kin of all New Zealand servicemen and women who were killed, while on war service or operational service overseas in the Second World War. It is also awarded to the next of kin of those who subsequently died of wounds received while on war service, or operational service overseas, since the commencement of the Second World War. For deaths during the Second World War the first cross was awarded in the late 1940s or the 1950s to the mother. If the mother was deceased, the first cross was awarded to the father, or if he was also deceased, to the eldest sister, or the eldest brother if the military service person had no living sisters. A second cross was awarded to the widow, eldest daughter or eldest son (in that order of precedence). If the deceased military service person was not married, and had no children, only one Memorial Cross was issued. It is worn on a purple ribbon around the neck.
