Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

McKENZIE Donald Keith RANR VRD MB BS

1902-1989

Donald Keith McKenzie was born, on 2nd December 1902, in Morchard, in the Mid North region of SA.  His was the son of James McKenzie and Kennethina, nee McLennan. Mckenzie was educated at Prince Alfred College and studied medicine at the University of Adelaide, graduating in 1927. He married Crystal Aileen Nye in June 1933 in Epping, Essex, England. They were to have two sons.  She was the daughter of Sidney Herbert Nye, a veterinary surgeon, and Harriet Mary, nee Cotter, of London, England.

McKenzie was appointed a surgeon lieutenant, in the RANR, in the Port Adelaide Division, on 1st May 1933, with seniority from that date. He named his wife Crystal of 11 Angas Street, Woodville, SA, as his next of kin. He was posted additional to HMAS Yarra and HMAS Sydney, in 1937 and 1939, for his annual two weeks training; followed by a promotion to surgeon lieutenant commander on 1st May 1939. Mobilised at the outbreak of war, in September 1939, he was immediately appointed to HMAS Kanimbla. McKenzie was loaned to the Royal Navy under an agreement with the Royal Australian Navy and served in HMS Quorn from 16th August 1943, which was later lost in the English Channel on 3rd August 1944. McKenzie was promoted to surgeon commander in April 1943 and then served in HMAS Shropshire, which was commissioned on 26th June 1943. The Shropshire, was a British County Class Heavy Cruiser of 10,000 tons with a crew of 820, that had been transferred to the RAN after the loss of the heavy cruiser HMAS Canberra, on 9th August 1942, in the Battle of Savo Island. After serving six months on the HMAS Shropshire, McKenzie was allotted to HMAS Cerberus and then demobilised on 11th February 1944.  He was transferred to the Retired List on 2nd December 1952. 

McKenzie was living at 66 David Terrace, Kilkenny, SA immediately after the war and appeared to be in general practice. He travelled, with his wife, to England in 1955. It is presumed that, on his return to Australia, he returned to general practice. Donald Keith McKenzie died 17th March 1989, at the Lourdes Valley Nursing Home, Myrtle Bank, SA. His two sons survived him. His wife Crystal pre-deceased him in December 1986.

Source

Blood, Sweat and Fears III: Medical Practitioners South Australia, who Served in World War 2. 

Swain, Jelly, Verco, Summers. Open Books Howden, Adelaide 2019. 

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD