McGregor, John Thomas; Leading Seaman; RN/RAN 7532
John McGregor was born on 25 May 1879 in Southampton, one of a large family of six boys. He enlisted in the RN on 10 September 1896, aged 18, for a 12-year period. His RN career included service on a dozen ships and by 1909 he was recommended for service with the Royal Fleet Reserve. He had special qualifications as a gunnery and torpedo expert when he began service as a submariner in 1909. In 1913 he was one of the group loaned by the RN to the RAN as founding crew members of the new AE2 submarine.
McGregor travelled to Australia with AE2 and saw action off German New Guinea and in the Pacific. He returned to the Dardanelles with AE2, but according to his granddaughter Joan Colmer, contracted an odd skin complaint which caused all his hair to fall out. He spent some months in hospital and was precluded on medical grounds from joining AE2 on her final voyage. Like all spare crew, however, he was seconded by the RN and consequently found himself part of the actual Gallipoli landings. He found the experience ‘utterly horrific’.
He served again in the RAN after the Dardanelles, at the London Depot, Sydney, Cerberus and Penguin. At his own request, he was demobilised on 18 September 1919. He returned to Australia with his wife and family soon afterwards, and settled at Concord, Sydney.
