MACKENZIE, James Young
| Service Numbers: | 3862, 3862B |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 September 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 49th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, 30 March 1895 |
| Home Town: | Gin Gin, Bundaberg, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Provanside Public School, Glasgow, Scotland |
| Occupation: | Analytical Chemist |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 7 April 1918, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
St. Hilaire Cemetery Extension, Frevent Row D, Grave No. 8. UNTIL THE DAY BREAKS AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Pinkenba War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3862, 25th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 3862, 25th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: '' | |
| 31 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 3862, 25th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wandilla, Brisbane | |
| 7 Apr 1918: | Involvement Private, 3862B, 49th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3862B awm_unit: 49th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-04-07 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
James Young MacKenzie was the son of Alexander and Elizabeth Young MacKenzie. He was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland. He came out to Queensland with his family when he 15 years of age in around 1910.
He was an analytical chemist and was engaged as a chemist with the Gin Gin Central Sugar Mill when he enlisted at 20 years of age.
He was transferred to the 49th Battalion in Egypt during the reorganisation of the AIF during early 1916. He went through much of the fighting in 1916 unscathed and then spent some time in England during 1917 after he fell sick. He rejoined the 49th Battalion late in 1917 and was mortally wounded during the heavy fighting at Dernancourt on 5 April 1918, when the 49th Battalion made a most valiant counter attack against a massive German thrust against the Australian lines.
He was admitted to the 6th Stationary Hospital at Frevant, some 50 kilometres behind the Dernancourt position, with multiple severe shrapnel wounds, and died there two days on 7 April 1918.
All of his personal effects were lost when the ship carrying them back to Australia, the S.S. Barunga, was sunk with all of its cargo by a German submarine later in 1918.
His mother and father were living in Eagle Farm, Brisbane, Queensland at the time of his death. James also left a will in favour of one of his older sisters, at the same address.