Aged 19, John enlisted at Coleraine, Derry on 12 October 1815 and was drafted to the 1st Foot Regiment.
His discharge papers record he enlisted at Coleraine in County Derry (Ireland) on 20 April 1818 at the age of 19 years to the 18th Royal Parish Regiment of Foot. On the same day (War Office record # 12/3514/3517) he was drafted for special training for Malta service. The same record shows he embarked for Malta on 20 March 1821.
It is known John served in the following places: 1818 Cork, 1819 Carlow, 1818-19 Fermoy, 1819 Duncannon Fort, 1818-19 Kilkenny, 1819 Waterford, 1819 Wexford, 1820-21 Cork. The regiment was nicknamed 'Paddy's Black Guards'.
War Office record number 12/3514-3517 (the Muster of 18th Regiment) shows the following: 18 October 1815 - Listed in Northern District Belfast; 20 March 1821 - Embarked to Malta; 24 August 1825 - Invalided in Corfu with fever.
On 20 July 1825 his discharge papers were signed at Corfu.
War Office record # 23/27 shows that on 12 October 1825 he embarked for London to enter Chelsea Hospital. Chelsea Hospital War Office record # 116/35 records his admission to Chelsea Hospital. The same record also shows a period of leave before he returned to Malta. John was discharged from the 18th Irish Regiment of Foot on 11 October 1825 suffering from varicose veins of the leg. At this time he was described as about 26 years of age, 5' 6½" in height with brown hair, grey eyes, a fresh complexion and by trade or occupation a weaver.
In 1845-46 there was general alarm in New Zealand at the rebellion of the Maoris led by chief Hone Heke. The Governor of New Zealand, Sir George Grey, fearing for the lives of the settlers, requested help from the British government. Retired military men, under the age of 48 years, over 5', 6" tall, preferably married with children and of good standing, who were prepared to settle in the Auckland area and defend the white settlers in the event of Maori wars, were recruited in the United Kingdom. They were called 'The Royal New Zealand Fencibles'.
On his return to England, John applied to be included in the Royal Fencibles for New Zealand. A further War Office record # 22/147/276 approves his application and tells him to proceed to Tilbury Port. The Public Records Office in Chancery Lane, London, shows 'John McPike (private), Tilbury Port 23 April 1847' (WO # 43/89/1317). The pension returns of Belfast (WO # 22/147/276) confirms that in April 1847 his payment of pension was transferred to New Zealand. The regular army soldiers documents (WO # 97/390) confirm he was born in the parish of Arigal near the town of Garvagh, County Derry, Ireland.
He was listed in the nominal list of the first detachment of New Zealand enrolled pensioners, which embarked on 14 April 1847 under command of Captain Kenny, Staff Officer, on board the ship 'Ramillies' - No 18 John McPike, of the Regiment 18th Foot - Rate of pension 6d a day, district Belfast. At the time of his enlistment in 1847 he was still receiving a pension of 6' per day.

BASED ON THE RESEARCH OF JOHN & MARY'S 3rd GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER CATHREEN FISCHER
In the earliest centuries the McPikes were a fierce Highland clan in their own right. After centuries of clan fighting they were finally beaten and absorbed by the McPhersons who in turn were absorbed by the Galloways. The McPikes finally became known as one of the 300 Galloway Macs. One McPike eventually rose to be Arms Bearer to the Laird of Galloway. The Princes of Galloway were created through the female line of the royal Stuarts, the male line having died out. This was in the seventeenth century and they took control of the 300 clans and thus the emergence of the 300 Galloway Macs.
At Culloden in Scotland we had men in the field on the side of Charles Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie). Although the battle lasted such a short time, it was decisive - with cannon and rifle against broadsword and disc. The Duke of Cumberland ordered all wounded to be shot or bayoneted and then started killing men, women and children, even those that were not involved in the battle. The Battle of Culloden virtually ended the old clan system. Then began the 'Highland Clearances'. Not all clearances were brutal, but some were. Nor were they confined to the Highlands, but the Highland experience was the most traumatic. The Highland Clearances devastated Gaelic culture and clan society, driving people from the land their families had called home for centuries. Their culture was demolished, their native language - Gaelic - was banned and marked as a hanging offence if spoken, the wearing of tartan was also made a hanging offence and even the bible was not allowed to be learnt in their own language, never mind written.
Our direct ancestor, with his brother, managed to flee from Culloden and make his way to Ireland. Only thirty odd years after this bloody battle, John McPike was born in 1794 in Argylasle/Arigal, near Garvagh in Derry.

In 1819 in Belfast, Antrim, Ireland, John married Mary, daughter of Thomas & Margaret [Campbell] DUNN. The McPikes were devout Catholics and the Dunns solidly Irish Protestant; Mary converted to Catholicism when she married John. There are some grim tales about how the marriage was objected to. However it seems to have been a very successful marriage. John and Mary's children were all born in Ireland.
On 10 April 1847 John, wife Mary, sons James and Cornelius, daughter Mary Jane and three other children sailed on the troop ship 'Ramillies' from Tilbury Port, Gravesend, England, arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 5 August 1847. New Zealand National Archives in Wellington states six children on card index. Typhus was rife in Belfast in 1847; I wonder if this was one of the reasons they emigrated.
The McPikes' eldest child, also named John, did not accompany his parents to New Zealand. He had married Mary Mason and they with their three children at the time sailed to New Zealand on the ship 'Simlah' in 1853.
In 1848 John was listed in the New Zealand Government Gazette as a labourer.
During the 1850s the McPike family were pit sawing and farming in the valley of Little Muddy Creek. An article in the 'New Zealander' of 7 August 1850 spoke of unauthorised cattle on Crown and public land. John was listed as being authorised by the Wardens of Onehunga to have his cattle on Crown wastelands.
In 1851 he was in the Fencible records as having 42 acres in Slaughterhouse Road (now Neilson Street), Onehunga.
In 1852 he had one acre in Captain Street, Onehunga and in 1854 he had one acre in Albert Street, Onehunga. The 'New Zealander' of 13 October 1852 lists him as buying lot 10 of section 17 in the Village of Onehunga for £10 and 10 shillings. This was from the corner of Selwyn Street to back of the post office. It was recognised as a very good position then, as Princes Street was the main street.
The 'Daily Southern Cross' of 22 April 1853 lists John as a supporter of Lieut-Colonel Wynyard in the nominations for the office of Superintendent of the province of Auckland.
At age 55, approximately 1853, he was discharged with varicose veins of the right leg. At this time he was listed as 5' 6½", bald, blue eyes, pale complexion, very good character, trade: sawyer.
In the 'Daily Southern Cross' of 25 September 1855, John added his name to supporters of Charles J Taylor's nomination for the House of Representatives.
In 1857 he was listed on the pensioners roll in Little Muddy Creek.
In 1857 an auction was held for 44 acres at Little Muddy Creek. We know from the auction notice in the 'Daily Southern Cross' of 31 March 1857 that John's neighbours at this time were Messrs Haslep (likely Haslip), Coley, McAuley and Bremmer.
John also made his home at Little Muddy Creek available as a polling place for various elections. Several notices appear in newspapers stating this.
On 30 October 1864 John had his boat and oars stolen by one Richard Whittington. According to the 'Daily Southern Cross' of 11 November 1864, Whittington was found guilty and sentenced to two months hard labour.
From 1865 to 1870 John was on the electoral rolls as having 40 acres in Little Muddy Creek. From 1869 to 1874 he was on the electoral rolls as being in Queen Street, Onehunga.
John and Mary attended the church of St Mary of the Assumption on Church Street, Onehunga.
John died on 12 August 1874 at Onehunga aged 76, pensioner. His cause of death was constriction of the oesophagus, which he had for seven to eight months. When he died he had five children and was on a pension of two pounds five shillings per month, which was paid till 31 December 1874.