John Leslie McIndoe (18 November 1898 – 9 May 1995) was a New Zealand artist and printer, and a

war artist A war artist is an artist either commissioned by a government or publication, or self-motivated, to document first-hand experience of war in any form of illustrative or depictive record.Imperial War Museum (IWM)header phrase, "war shapes lives" ...

in World War II. His parents were John McIndoe who founded the family printing firm, and Mabel Hill the artist. He was educated at

Otago Boys' High School Otago Boys' High School (OBHS) is a secondary school in Dunedin, New Zealand. It is one of New Zealand's oldest boys' secondary schools. Originally known as Dunedin High School, it was founded on 3 August 1863 and moved to its present site in 18 ...

, and after training in the printing industry in Sydney in 1916–19 went into the family printing firm. After taking over the management of the firm in 1924 he purchased colour printing machines, and the firm produced many items required for the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition in 1925–26. He understated his age to join the Army in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and sailed with the First Echelon in December 1939. Captured in Crete in 1941, he was a prisoner-of-war in Germany. There he produced over 300 landscapes, portraits and sketches, and held an exhibition of them in London when he was released in April 1945. Postwar he produced mainly pastels of the Central Otago landscape. He married Olga Roberts McConnachie in 1922; they had three sons. He was involved in several Dunedin clubs and societies: flying, swimming and surf lifesaving, serving on several organisations and on the Dunedin City Council 1931–35. He retired in 1961, and in 1973–74 moved to what had been a holiday home near Māpua, in what is now the

Tasman District Tasman District () is a local government district in the northwest of the South Island of New Zealand. It borders the Canterbury Region, West Coast Region, Marlborough Region and Nelson City. It is administered by the Tasman District Council ...

. He died in

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McIndoe, John 1898 births 1995 deaths Printers 20th-century New Zealand businesspeople World War II artists People educated at Otago Boys' High School Dunedin City Councillors New Zealand military personnel of World War II New Zealand Army officers World War II prisoners of war held by Germany New Zealand war artists 20th-century New Zealand painters 20th-century New Zealand male artists Hill–McIndoe–Gillies family 20th-century New Zealand politicians New Zealand prisoners of war in World War II