Obituary Major John Edward Hollingshead, OAM
We are sad to announce that John Hollingshead died on 2nd Sept 2020 in Perth, Western Australia.
John was born in 1928 in Ilfracombe, North Devon. He attended Blundell’s and was enlisted in 1946 undertaking an Officer cadetship at Sandhurst where he secured a commission into the Devonshire Regiment in 1948.
During the next 10 years he had a multitude of different roles and he finished his military career in 1967.
He emigrated to Western Australia with his family and managed the family hotel business before becoming the First State Organizer of The Muscular Dystrophy Research Association of WA before retiring in 1996.
He feels that Blundell’s enabled him to make lifelong and enduring friendships; allowed him to set standards for self-discipline and physical endurance e.g. The Russell (the toughest cross-country course he ever ran including Sandhurst). It also gave him a love of tradition, the import of teamwork and loyalty and an appreciation of music and the Arts. The Corps training did much to alleviate the initial shock of the first day of enlistment as a NSM!
He has been awarded many honours during his career including the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2000. He has been married to Helen since 1953 whose love and encouraging support over the last 57 years has enabled him to lead such a fulfilling and varied life. They have 2 sons and 2 daughters with many grandchildren.