Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Douglas John McKenzie, known as ‘Dig’ McKenzie, was born at the Paddington Hospital Sydney on the 11th February 1919. His parents Ethel Ridgway McKenzie nee Bailey and John Bernard Francis McKenzie met while in service in WW1.

Dig’s mother Ethel Ridgway Bailey met and married Major John Bernard Francis McKenzie, a medical doctor, while they were both serving in the war when stationed in England. They married on the 14th February 1918 at St Michael’s Church St Albans Cathedral Hertfordshire England. The newly-wed couple returned from their war service and Dig was born the following year.

Dig’s maternal great grandparents, John and Mary Ridgway (nee Willoughby) married in Nash Buckinghamshire England in 1857 and arrived in Australia the same year. They settled in the Picton area, N.S.W. They had 10 children, including Dig’s grandmother mother Adelaide. Dig’s paternal great grandparents, John and Jean McKenzie (nee McKinlay) married in Glasgow Scotland in 1837 and arrived in Australia December 1838. They had 8 children, the youngest being Archibald, Dig’s grandfather.

Not long after his birth Douglas was to be called ‘Dig’ - the name he was called all his life. His mother Ethel referred to him affectionately as her little ‘Digger’ in reference to the slang word attributed to Australian and New Zealand troops: Diggers. Dig had a brother and sister: Judy and Robert. During the 1930s the family lived in Hamilton near Newcastle N.S.W. where Dig’s father had a medical practice.

Dig attended The King’s School Parramatta as a boarder during his secondary school years. Despite being afflicted with asthma, he was a keen sportsman and won many school trophies. He attended Newcastle High School in his final year in 1936. He then attended the University of Sydney where he completed a degree in Agricultural Science.

Dig was a very sensitive soul. Perhaps the music that surrounded him as he grew up developed his imagination and fed his spiritual intelligence. His father John was an accomplished pianist. Dig too learnt the piano, which was to be his constant companion his entire life.

War and war service impacts on people in diverse ways. Dig was desperate to serve his country but though he spent a number of years training he was in and out of hospital and eventually discharged because he was ‘medically unfit’. This hurt Dig immeasurably. His father and mother had both served their country. His namesake, his uncle Howard Douglas McKenzie, who was always known as Douglas, was killed in action WW1 at Pozières.

Dig married Sheila Chisholm, a friend of sister Judy, in Sydney 1945. Dig loved the land, a love nurtured during his days jackerooing in places like the Blackall Ranges, Queensland. Dig and Sheila set up a dairy farm in Moss Vale, near Bowral N.S.W. When Sheila’s mother became ill they returned to Sydney however it wasn’t long before Dig applied for a job in Adelaide S.A. with the Department of Agriculture.

The couple and their 4 children moved to S.A. Dig felt confined working in an office. He returned to his beloved land and was a dairy farmer for most of his working life. Based on the studies he conducted at university, his knowledge of soil, erosion and fertilisers was shared with the South Australian Soil Association, an organisation he presided over as President for many years.

Dig’s music stayed with him. He played the piano whenever he could and during his latter life, when he’d given up diary farming and was growing organic vegetables, he was composing music on an electronic keyboard.

Dig had played a game of golf, a game he loved, on December 29th 1990. He had a chat with his fellow golfers in the clubhouse after the game. Outside walking to his car he spoke with a friend about his musical compositions. He gave the friend a cassette tape with his music on it for him to enjoy.

Dig then had a catastrophic asthma attack. Back in the early 1940s when he was marching with his unit he’d had such an attack. Luckily, the story goes, it happened near where his father, John a medical doctor lived and John was able to administer a shot of adrenalin to get Dig on his feet. Sadly, his father nor anyone with medical equipment was nearby that fateful January afternoon in 1990. Dig was DOA at the local hospital.

On Dig’s grave is written the epitaph: A Gentle Loving Soul and that he was. He tried to serve his country but couldn’t due to his health. I believe the sadness Dig felt because of that stayed with him whole life.

However Dig served his country in other ways. He was my father. I honour his memory and his warm, sensitive spirit.

Sally McKenzie
May 2023