Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lieutenant William Kenneth Claude MacKenzie - 2518

Lieutenant William Kenneth Claude MacKenzie was born on September the 19th, 1896 ¹, in North Sydney, Australia. He had a fair complexion, blue eyes, and auburn hair ². MacKenzie grew up with his father, whose name was also William, in Wazir Street, Arncliffe ³ 

Lieutenant William Kenneth Claude MacKenzie attended Sydney Technical College between the years 1909 and 1912. He was quite a successful student, probably due to the same diligence that made him such a good leader later in his life, and finished ninth in his class in the year 1911 ⁷. In 1912, MacKenzie took the examination for the Intermediate Certificate, a test which allowed students to compete for Intermediate bursaries and scholarships, which was tenable for three years. He received his certificate in early February of 1913, which was announced in the newspaper The Sun. MacKenzie went on to work as a clerk for the NSW State Public Service. He had previous military experience, which also showcased his natural leadership skills. He spent four years in Cadets, and earnt the position of Second Lieutenant as a senior Cadet ⁸. He was a part of the 38th Infantry Battalion prior to the First World War, where he also earned the title of Lieutenant. MacKenzie was described as a “Good athlete. [who] Should make a good Officer.” ⁵ His supervisors from the 38th Infantry Battalion also commented on his power of authority, saying “This Cadet has done very well here and will make a determined leader… His conduct and example have been very good.” ⁶ 

He was mobilised in the A.I.F Camps in Bathurst, until he enlisted on his 20th birthday on the 19th of September 1916 ⁹. 

MacKenzie embarked on the ship “Aeneas” from Sydney eleven days after he enlisted ¹⁰. A long journey was ahead of him, with the trip to Plymouth, England taking exactly fifty days ¹¹. MacKenzie’s leadership skills were evident yet again when he was appointed Acting Sergeant four days after his arrival in Plymouth, receiving the extra duty pay that came with the role, for a week ¹². MacKenzie continued to slowly rise through the ranks, becoming Lance Corporal in early April of 1917 ¹³. Well into the war at this point, William MacKenzie was involved in his first major battle with the 55th battalion, at the second battle at Bullecourt. Unfortunately, he was wounded nine days into the battle, sustaining a gunshot wound to his right buttock ¹⁴. Fourteen days later, he departed from Boulogne, France, on the ship “St Andrew”, and was admitted into Reading War Hospital on the 27th of May, 1917 ¹⁵. He spent nineteen days recovering in hospital, before being dismissed to continue his lengthy rehabilitation that would go on for another five months. He rejoined his battalion in France on November the 18th, 1917 ¹⁶. MacKenzie spent another three months on the Western Front before being shipped to England to attend Officers' Training ¹⁷. He continued his education in leadership and military expertise for just more than six months, and returned to action in France on the 5th of September 1918. Nineteen days later came the first evidence that his Officers’ training had paid off, and he was promoted to Second Lieutenant ¹⁸ which would have entailed leading a platoon, around thirty to sixty men. About a week beforehand, intensive operations involving the Allied attack of the Hindenburg Line had begun, and MacKenzie’s 55th battalion was involved in these operations. William MacKenzie would have been fiercely fighting alongside his comrades for almost two weeks, until the Hindenburg Line was broken by Allied forces at Bellicourt on the 29th of September 1918. MacKenzie fortunately survived to see the Armistice on the 11th of November 1918, marking the end of the First World War and William MacKenzie’s time in the field. 

Post-war, MacKenzie went on leave for lengthy periods of time, wishing to see the world before he settled down. He went to hospital with a case of Syphilis ¹⁹ after spending time on leave in the United Kingdom and Belgium but was dismissed shortly after. He spent much more time on leave after that, with records saying he spent further time in London, Belgium and Paris, enjoying his free time after the war. He took a trip back to Australia on the 1st of November 1919 ²⁰, only for a temporary time, though, until he moved back to the United Kingdom. Lieutenant William Kenneth Claude MacKenzie was finally released from military service nine days after he left for Australia ²¹. His fate is listed as effective abroad ²², which suggests he was assigned an administrative position in London. His movements after this point are largely unknown. 

References

¹Ken Stevenson, LT William Kenneth Claude MACKENZIE, Google Docs, 10/02/2018

²Unknown Author, NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, document on pg. 3, circa 1914 - circa 1920 

³Ken Stevenson, LT William Kenneth Claude MACKENZIE, Google Docs, 10/02/2018

⁴Unknown Author, 'Scholarships and Bursaries - Intermediate Technical - Issue of Awards', The Sun, February 1913, pg. 7 

⁵Unknown Author, NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, document on pg. 42, circa 1914 - circa 1920 

⁶Unknown Author, NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, document on pg. 43, circa 1914 - circa 1920 

⁷Unknown author, Class Results, 'Results Sheet Division III', 1911 

⁸Unknown Author, NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, document on pg. 5, circa 1914 - circa 1920 

⁹Unknown Author, NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, document on pg. 5, circa 1914 - circa 1920 

¹⁰Ken Stevenson, LT William Kenneth Claude MACKENZIE, Google Docs, 10/02/2018

¹¹Unknown Author, NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, document on pg. 8, circa 1914 - circa 1920 

¹²Unknown Author, NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, document on pg. 8, circa 1914 - circa 1920 

¹³Unknown Author, NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, document on pg. 8, circa 1914 - circa 1920 

¹⁴Unknown Author, NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, document on pg. 8, circa 1914 - circa 1920 

¹⁵Unknown Author, NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, document on pg. 8, circa 1914 - circa 1920 

¹⁶Unknown Author, NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, document on pg. 8, circa 1914 - circa 1920 

¹⁷Unknown Author, NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, document on pg. 46, circa 1914 - circa 1920 

¹⁸Unknown author, William Kenneth Claude MACKENZIE, Virtual War Memorial Australia 

¹⁹Unknown Author, NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, document on pg. 25, circa 1914 - circa 1920 

²⁰Unknown Author, NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, document on pg. 18, circa 1914 - circa 1920 

²¹Unknown Author, NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, document on pg. 47, circa 1914 - circa 1920 

²²Ken Stevenson, LT William Kenneth Claude MACKENZIE, Google Docs, 10/02/2018

²³Ken Stevenson, LT William Kenneth Claude MACKENZIE, Google Docs, 10/02/2018

Bibliography 

Class Results, 'Results Sheet Division III', 1911 

Ken Stevenson, LT William Kenneth Claude MACKENZIE, Google Docs, 10/02/2018, viewed 16 August 2024, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jrSbr2-wpJ2QtBRNXUytkooTIisV0eQ2/edit (docs.google.com)

Medals–Imperial Awards–World War One 1914-1918, Australian Government - Defence, viewed 16 August 2024, https://www.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families/honours-awards/medals/imperial-awards/world-war one  (www.defence.gov.au)

NAA: B2455, MACKENZIE W K C, National Archives of Australia, circa 1914 - circa 1920, viewed 16 August 2024, https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1963382&S=1&R=0 (recordsearch.naa.gov.au)

'Scholarships and Bursaries - Intermediate Technical - Issue of Awards', The Sun, February 1913, pg. 7 

William Kenneth Claude MACKENZIE, Virtual War Memorial Australia,viewed 16 August 2024, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/344154  (/explore/people/344154)