VALE: John Alexander Herbert Munroe, 1940 – 2023

Born: Edinburgh, Scotland 29/11/40 Died: North Berwick, Scotland 20/11/23 Educated: 1952 – 1956 George Watson’s College, Edinburgh

Always interested in adventure, as a young lad he had dreams of navigating the then unopened North West Passage.

1957 – 67	Ship’s Deck Officer 1st Mate Foreign Going
1967 – 77	Air Traffic Controller with Search & Rescue Certificate
1977 – 80	Part owner of a Bed & Breakfast Bistro
1980 – 81	Papua New Guinea Department of Marine Search and Rescue Officer for PNG
1982 – 84	ANARE

His expedition team of 1982 have written of him : –

John was the type of Leader who lead by example.

He respected the position of the other Expeditioners and, in return, was himself afforded respect. To the point where John would only need to politely ask a fellow expeditioner to complete a task, and know that the task would be completed.

John was firm, fair and funny a good example of which was the ‘Toothpaste Saga’. No one will ever know!

There were challenges in our year at Casey (including the destruction of the yet-to-be completed new power-house, (due to fire), but we never saw John lose focus, and we never saw him angry.

I will always treasure his early morning visits to the Met Office, for a cup of coffee and an uplifting chat.

Stoic, and a gentleman to the end.

Farewell, John Munroe. Expeditioner and friend.

From John Hetherington Casey ’82; Davis ’85