MCKENZIE-MCHARG, William
| Service Number: | 859 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 August 1914, Enlisted at Melbourne, Victoria. Reduced to the rank of Private on 10 December 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 8th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Heathcote, Victoria, Australia, 1887 |
| Home Town: | Korumburra, South Gippsland, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | School Teacher |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Gallipoli, Gallipoli, Dardanelles, Turkey, 25 April 1915 |
| Cemetery: |
Lone Pine Cemetery, ANZAC Row M, Grave 20, Lone Pine Cemetery, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Korumburra War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 859, Enlisted at Melbourne, Victoria. Reduced to the rank of Private on 10 December 1914 | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 1914: | Involvement Sergeant, 859, 8th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Benalla embarkation_ship_number: A24 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Oct 1914: | Embarked Sergeant, 859, 8th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Benalla, Melbourne | |
| 8 May 1915: | Involvement Private, 859, 8th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 859 awm_unit: 8 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1915-05-08 |
Help us honour William McKenzie-McHarg's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Son of William and Mary McKenzie-McHarg of Victoria Street, Korumburra, Victoria
Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Like many others William McKenzie-McHarg was reported missing on 25 April 1915. Not much could be learned of his fate and this drove his mother to place a letter in the Melbourne newspapers, asking for any information as to his fate from returned soldiers. She also wrote letters to Senator Pearce, the Minister of Defence, seeking more information about her son in late 1915. The AIF replied they making investigations.
William’s NAA service file extends to over 104 pages, many of them letters from his mother seeking more information. She seemed to hold to the belief he was a prisoner of war due to some unreliable information passed to her by returned men.
Part of one her letters in William McKenzie-McHarg’s service file reflects her despair, “I have written to him for over 2 years as a prisoner and have only had those returned. The letters returned were nine months old. I write every week, on the chance of him being a prisoner.”
It was not until a court of enquiry held in France during September 1917 was his fate confirmed as “killed in action 25 April 1915.”
William’s body was found in early 1922, perhaps near Lone Pine as his remains were buried in the Lone Pine Cemetery. The body was confirmed by his ID disc. His Mum was sent his identity disc in May 1922. It would have been of great comfort to her to know that he had a grave. Unfortunately, it has the wrong date of death on it, 8 May 1915, which was the date an earlier court of enquiry found him to be missing. Mrs. McKenzie-McHarg wrote letters later during 1922 seeking his belongings. She was informed “Due to the length of time that elapsed since your son’s demise, it would appear that no effects were recovered at the time of the casualty.”
William’s brother Samuel McKenzie-McHarg 2nd Field Artillery Brigade was also involved in the search for his brother. Samuel had enlisted during August 1914 and served at Gallipoli and spent time in Egypt searching through hospitals for any sign of his brother. He was shot in the chest on 30 September 1917 and returned home to Australia (with the bullet still in chest) during early 1918. A younger brother, James McKenzie-McHarg drowned in a Gippsland swamp during 1919, while duck shooting. Mary McKenzie-McHarg died in 1926, four years after the remains of her son William were discovered at Gallipoli. She was only 60 years of age.
The Advocate Melbourne, 3 July 1915
Private William McHarg, who has been reported among the missing at the Dardanelles, is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. McKenzie McHarg, of Korumburra. When the war broke out. Private McHarg was head teacher at the Ryanston State School. He had an excellent record as a teacher. This is borne out by a letter of sympathy which has been received by the parents from the Director of Education, in which it was stated that Private McHarg was one of the Department's most promising teachers. His brother, Sam, who was also a State School teacher, is now at the Dardanelles. The McHarg boys, whose parents are two of South Gippsland' s earliest pioneers, were among the first to enlist when the war broke out.
The Argus Melbourne 18 September 1915.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ARGUS.
Sir, — My son, William McKenzie McHarg, (No 859), D Company, 8th Battalion, has been "missing" at Gallipoli since May, and I have not since received any further word, excepting the original intimation from the Defence department on May 28. If any of the returned soldiers could give me any information as to when last seen, or what actually happened, I would be very pleased. — Yours,
(Mrs.) McKENZIE McHARG.
Victoria Street, Korumburra.
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