William Arthur MCKENZIE

William Arthur MCKENZIE Update Details

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MCKENZIE, William Arthur

Service Numbers:	250, 2239, 4993
Enlisted:	Not yet discovered
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	Unspecified South African Army Units
Born:	Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, 25 December 1879
Home Town:	Kerang, Gannawarra, Victoria
Schooling:	Geelong Grammar School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation:	Engine Driver and Farmer
Died:	Killed In Action, Deville Wood, France, 18 July 1916, aged 36 years
Cemetery:	No known grave - "Known Unto God" Thiepval Memorial. Pier and Face 4 C.
Memorials:	Geelong Football Club Honour Roll

Boer War Service

13 Jan 1900:	Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, 250, 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles, Embarked from Melbourne for Cape Town on "Euryalus" Troop Transport.
5 Feb 1900:	Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 250, 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles, The Boer Offensive
5 Nov 1900:	Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 250, 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles, RTA from Cape Town on Harlech Castle, reaching Melbourne on 4th December 1900 to be paid off and disbanded.
5 Dec 1900:	Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 250, 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles, Awarded the QSA.
26 Mar 1902:	Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 2239, 4th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, Re-enlisted and embarked again from Melbourne on "Templemore" Troopship. Arrived in Durban on 22 April 1902. Then entrained to Newcastle, Natal.
22 Apr 1902:	Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 2239, 4th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, Natal and Transvaal garrison duties prior to Boer Surrender.
7 Jul 1902:	Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 2239, 4th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, RTA on "Drayton Grange" which arrived in Melbourne on 7 August 1902. Likely quarantined at Fort Franklin (Portsea camp) before being discharged again due to a contagious disease outbreak on his overcrowded troopship.

World War 1 Service

4 Aug 1914:	Involvement British Forces (All Conflicts), Unspecified South African Army Units
18 Jul 1916:	Discharged British Forces (All Conflicts), Private, 4993, 1st Regt, South African Infantry. K.I.A.
Date unknown:	Involvement Unspecified South African Army Units

Boer War Service

Date unknown:	Involvement

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Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

Son of William Kenneth and Elizabeth Ann McKenzie, of Bendigo, Victoria

Arthur McKenzie was born in Bendigo in 1879. At Geelong Grammar his sporting abilities – in athletics, football and cricket – were quickly recognised. He played with Geelong in the centre (half forward and half back) in the final four games of the 1898 season and often played two games on consecutive days for Geelong VFL and for Geelong Grammar. He left Australia to fight in the Boer War and saw active service in South Africa. In 1915 he enlisted as a Private in the South African army and was one of General Louis Botha's famous 300 who captured German South West Africa (now Namibia) in 1915. McKenzie was then deployed to France and was killed in action at Delville Wood on July 18, 1916. He is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial, France.

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War Memorial
Australia