MCKENDRICK, Alexander Neil
| Service Number: | 3678 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 October 1915, Claremont, Tas. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 26th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Zeehan, Tasmania, Australia, 12 October 1894 |
| Home Town: | King Island, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Pozieres, France, 29 July 1916, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
Courcelette British Cemetery Plot III, Row B, Grave No. 12 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Currie King Island Great War Honour Roll, Hobart Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Oct 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3678, 26th Infantry Battalion, Claremont, Tas. | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 3678, 26th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 5 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 3678, 26th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Melbourne | |
| 29 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3678, 26th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , Killed in action |
Finding our Great Uncle in France
In 2022, because of the story I found on this website from Greg McHenry, we are now in contact and call each other affectionately through Cousin Toni and Cousin Greg. Finding him was a little miracle, a living relative of my Grandfather Kenneth James McKendrick; his grandmother Hilda and My grandfather Kenneth were brother and sister.
We only had photos of Kenneth as a young man before and after he married my Grandmother. We contacted Greg, who was so kind and invited us to his home in Melbourne. We were excited as he showed us some family history, especially a beautiful photo of all the children, including Alexander, my Grandfather's older brother, who fought in Pozziers and died there.
Later that year, part of our travels was to visit his gravesite in France, outside of Paris. As we got closer to the gravesite where he was laid, I was so excited, and when we found him, I was very emotional to know this was his last resting place. I left a laminated photo of him and his brothers and sisters, given to me by Greg, and told him I was so happy to be here and how proud I was of him and countless others who served and died for the freedoms we enjoy today. I felt he knew we had visited that day to pay our respects. Family ties are so strong and can be felt beyond the grave; we are who we are because of those who have come before us and the sacrifices they have made. I love learning more about our beautiful McKendrick family, my mum's side and where they came from and the stories of their lives.
Until we meet one day, with all our beautiful family.
xx Toni Ngawaka King
Submitted 5 March 2025 by Toni King
Finding Alex
As a very young child I can remember my grandmother, on my mothers side, tell me that her brother had been killed in a war, it was something I didn't understand, but I never forgot her words.
As a young man I can recall my mother telling me the story, of taking my grandmother to the Canberra War Memorial and finding Alex's name on the wall,
and the tears that flowed as my grandmother ran her hand across his name.
Little did I know that nearly 100 years after his death at Pozieres, and 30 years after the passing of my grandmother, that I would truly understand the significance of the loss as I stood on the very ridge where he was killed at Pozieres.
Alex Mckendrick was the older brother of my grandmother, he was 21 when he was killed, he was from a tiny town in South West Tasmania.
Rest In Peace Alex.
Submitted 7 July 2015 by greg mchenry
Click images to start slideshow.