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Married: 1918. Canterbury, New South Wales, Australia. Marriage Cert:640/1918.
Wife: Eva McKenzie. nee: Dewhurst. (18..-1971) Died Parkes, N.S.W. Death Cert:53807/1971.
Died: 1971. Raymond Terrace, New South Wales, Australia. Death Cert:45862/1971.
Mother: Christina Jennifer McKenzie. nee: Colmer. (1865-1958) Born Gundagai, N.S.W. Birth Cert:9393/1865 and Died Armidale, N.S.W. Death Cert:24165/1958.
William Douglas McKenzie enlisted with C Company 33rd Mattalion AIF on the 10th April 1916 and was an original member of the Battalion and embarked
onboard HMAT A74 "Marathon" on the 4th May 1916 with the rank of Sergeant and disembarked at Devonport, England on the 9th July 1917.
William was taken on strength with the School of Instruction at Tidworth where he was promoted to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant on the 13th of August and proceeded
overseas for France on the 21st of November 1916. Hw was promoted to Lieutenant on the 11th March 1917.
27/03/17
2nd Lieutenant: 918 William Douglas MCKENZIE. On the night of February 24/25th in a raid on the enemy's trenches 2nd Lieutenant W D
MCKENZIE led a storming party with exceptional dash and conspicuous courage, He himself shot three Germans and captured two prisoners one of them an
Officer. He directed the blowing up of a Machine-Gun emplacement and two dugouts, and was the first to enter them. He was the last to leave and saw to the
evacuation of his wounded under heavy fire.
The raiding party (drawn from 33rd Battalion A.I.F.) consisted of four Officers and 78 other ranks and entered the German trenches at PORT BALLOT, c29.a.44.
26 on February 24/25th 1917.
London Gazette 17th April 1917. Page 3688 Position 9.
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 21st August 1917. Page 1783 Position 46.
27/03/1917.
Private: 866 George Frederick SEAGROTT. On the night of February 24/25th during a raid on the German trenches
Private SEAGROTT displayed most conspicuous gallantry. While returning to our trenches he realised that his Officer 2/Lieutenant: 918 William
Douglas MCKENZIE whom he knew was the last to leave the enemy's trench was not coming on. Under heavy shell, rifle and Machine-Gun fire he returned alone
to the enemy's wire some distance back and found 2nd Lieutenant MCKENZIE in a dazed condition and the mangled body of the Officer prisoner he was
escorting lying beside him.
Private SEAGROTT who is of slight build succeeded in bringing 2nd Lieutenant MCKENZIE back to our lines after a dangerous and ardous journey
across NO MANS LAND which was in a very heavy condition and under heavy fire from Artillery and Machine-Guns. The raiding party (drawn from 33rd Battalion
A.I.F.) consisted of four Officers and 78 other ranks and entered the German trenches at PORT BALLOT, c29.a.44.26 on February 24/25th 1917.
London Gazette 17th April 1917. Page 3694 Position 9.
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 21st of August 1917. Page 1784
Position 5.
William returned to Australia onboard HMAT "Osterly" on the 8th December 1918.
William was a single 22 year old Engineer from Inverell road Armidale, N.S.W upon enlistment. He served with the 13th Infantry Militia as a 1st Lieutenant.
His parents Lachlan and Christina McKenzie were married in 1887 at Armidale, N.S.W. Marriage Cert:6601/1887 and had 5 children. Mary Mckenzie
born 1889 at Armidale, N.S.W. Birth Cert:30962/1889. William Douglas McKenzie born 1894 at Tamworth, N.S.W. Birth Cert:32628/1894
and died in 1971 at Raympnd Terrace, N.S.W. Death Cert:45862/1971. Myra B McKenzie born 1898 at Tamworth, N.S.W. Birth Cert:7334/1898.
Arthur L McKenzie born 1902 at Quirind, N.S.W. and died in 1902 at Tamworth, N.S.W. Death Cert:16103/1902. Elsie A McKenzie born 1904 at Armidale,
N.S.W. Birth Cert:9782/1904.
(Australian National Archives)
Under Construction 05/12/2010-28/12/2010.
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