MCKENZIE, Robert McNeil Crawford
| Service Number: | 298 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 August 1914, Brisbane |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 9th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Liscard, Liverpool, England, April 1888 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Ship's purser |
| Died: | Multiple shrapnel wounds and fractures, 10th Casualty Clearing Station, Poperinghe, Belgium, 21 September 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery XXIII. B. 7. |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 298, 9th Infantry Battalion, Brisbane | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Sep 1914: | Involvement Private, 298, 9th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Omrah embarkation_ship_number: A5 public_note: '' | |
| 24 Sep 1914: | Embarked Private, 298, 9th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Omrah, Brisbane | |
| 20 Feb 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 9th Infantry Battalion | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 298, 9th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 29 May 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 298, 9th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, GSW right leg | |
| 3 Jul 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 9th Infantry Battalion | |
| 18 Jul 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 9th Infantry Battalion | |
| 4 Aug 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Company Sergeant Major, 9th Infantry Battalion | |
| 5 Sep 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Company Sergeant Major, 298, 9th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, Bullet wound left wrist and left thigh | |
| 19 Oct 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Company Sergeant Major, 298, 9th Infantry Battalion, HMAT A61 Kanowna (N02 Hospital Ship), Alexandria for return to Australia - arriving 22 November 1915 | |
| 17 Nov 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 9th Infantry Battalion | |
| 17 Nov 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 9th Infantry Battalion, HMAT A55 Kyarra, Brisbane | |
| 13 May 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 9th Infantry Battalion | |
| 20 Sep 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 9th Infantry Battalion, Menin Road, Ouderdom, Belgium - multiple shrapnel wounds and fractures | |
| 21 Sep 1917: | Involvement Lieutenant, 9th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 9th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1917-09-21 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Michael Silver
Born in Liverpool, England, Robert McNeil Crawford McKenzie came to Australia in October 1913. Arriving in the 'Medina' at Adelaide, he secured employment as a purser with the Adelaide Steamship Company and worked on the 'Grantala' along the Australian east coast.
He enlisted on 18 August 1914 and embarked with C Company of the 9th Battalion from Brisbane as a Private.
Promoted to Lance Corporal, he was in one of the first boats to land at Gallipoli. Shortly after he was wounded in the leg but returned to duty a few weeks later. By August 1915 he had reached the rank of Company Sergeant Major however in early September he suffered a severe bullet wound to the left wrist and leg. He was returned to Australia in October 1915 due to these injuries, in conjunction with neurasthenia.
In May 1916 he was deemed to be healed and able to return to duty. He reembarked in November 1916 and rejoined his unit. In May 1917 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.
Lieutenant McKenzie died of wounds sustained during the Battle of Menin Road on 21 September 1917, aged 29.
His older brother, 2nd Lieutenant Samuel Aubry McKenzie, also of the 9th Battalion, was killed in action at Pozieres on 21 August 1916, aged 29.
Credit: Australian War Memorial
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