Brian McMahon

Brigadier Brian Thomas McMahon (1 December 1929 – 13 March 2025) was a New Zealand Defence Force officer. He worked as a venereologist before joining the Defence Force and served in the Vietnam War from 1969 to 1970. He also served in the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Singapore. From 1980 to 1983, he was director-general of Defence Force Medical Services. After retiring from the Defence Force, McMahon worked as medical superintendent of the Wakari Hospital and then Dunedin Hospital. In retirement, he carried out charity work, particularly in relation to leprosy. He was given the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association ANZAC of the Year Award in 2011.

Early life and family Born in Dunedin on 1 December 1929, McMahon was educated at Otago Boys' High School. He went on to study at the University of Otago, graduating MB ChB in 1955.

In 1969, McMahon served with the New Zealand forces in the Vietnam War, as part of the 1st New Zealand Services Medical Team. and later served in the United Kingdom, Singapore and Malaysia, the latter occasion as medical officer to the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.

Later life After leaving the military, McMahon served as medical superintendent of Wakari Hospital and then Dunedin Hospital. He was also medical officer of health in Otago and Southland, and a senior lecturer at Otago Medical School.

In the 1983 Queen's Birthday Honours, McMahon was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. The same year he became an officer of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, being appointed a commander in the same order in 1985 and a knight in 1990. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Lazarus in 1986. McMahon served as life governor of Otago Boys' High School Old Boys' Society from 2000 to 2017 when he voluntarily relinquished the role. He also helped to raise $3 million for the neurosurgery chair at Dunedin Hospital.

McMahon's wife, Margaret, died in 2001. McMahon died in Dunedin on 13 March 2025, at the age of 95.