John Denvir, Honorary Major of the Yugoslav army

I'm currently doing a research on some matter and was reading my grandpa's old military encyclopedia when I found out about this gentleman.

"John Denvir was born at Glasgow, Scotland, on 5 May 1913, the son of Michael Joseph Denvir, a dock labourer, and his wife, Jeanie Ambrose. He came to New Zealand around 1925 and attended the Marist brothers’ school in Christchurch before finding employment on a farm. Denvir worked for a time as a storeman in Christchurch, but was residing at Maori Point, near Karamea, when he enlisted in the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He entered camp in October 1939, and departed with the 1st Echelon as a member of 20th (Canterbury–Otago) Battalion in January 1940.
After prolonged training in Egypt, Denvir proceeded with his battalion to Greece in March 1941. Now with the rank of corporal, he demonstrated his leadership qualities during the brief campaign in Greece, but further advancement was prevented by his capture by German forces in the vicinity of the Corinth canal on 26 April. He was subsequently moved north to a prisoner of war camp at Maribor in occupied Yugoslavia. On 19 September 1941 Denvir escaped with two companions; recaptured in Zagreb within a week, he was condemned to three weeks’ solitary confinement. A second escape on 9 December, again with two companions, was more successful. They managed to reach the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana.
Abandoning plans to make their way to neutral Turkey, Denvir and an Australian gunner (later killed) joined a partisan band on 6 January 1942. They became machine-gunners, but Denvir soon formed and led a 60-strong mounted infantry unit which was active over a wide area. From October 1942 he was a member of the 1st (Ljubo Sercer) Battalion, Krimski Odred, and later of the 2nd Battalion of the 4th Slovenian National Freedom Shock (Ljubo Sercer) Brigade. Universally known among the partisans as ‘Corporal Frank’, Denvir impressed them by his bravery and leadership in action. After commanding a company, he was promoted to battalion commander in August 1943, and in October was awarded the rank of lieutenant of the National Freedom Army and Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia. Denvir operated a taxi business in Temuka immediately after the war. He later lived in Christchurch, before moving to Blenheim. In 1955 he revisited Slovenia, and was awarded a number of decorations for his partisan service and given the rank of honorary major in the Yugoslav army. He visited Yugoslavia again in 1967 for a reunion of the battalion he had commanded. He died at Blenheim on 11 March 1973, survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters."

http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/5d17/denvir-john

 

quite a tough guy indeed and a hero for all those who fough tthe Axis and especially the Yougoslavian Partisans

 

Very interesting, thanks for posting!

 

I've done some more research in encyclopedia and found out that he was awarded Brotherhood and Unity 1st class and a Partisan Star 2nd class orders as well as the Commemorative Order of the Partisans. There are a few other decorations which are not mentioned. I would guess it was the Order of Bravery and Order of Merits for the People 2nd or 3rd class because most of the soldier were given these.