Hugh McKenzie
Encyclopedia
Hugh McDonald McKenzie VC
, DCM
(5 December 1885 - 30 October 1917) was a Canadian
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
, Scotland
and emigrated to Canada He was 31 years old, and a lieutenant
in the 7th Company, Canadian Machine Gun Corps
, Canadian Expeditionary Force
during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 30 October 1917 at Meetscheele Spur, near Passchendaele
, Belgium
, Lieutenant McKenzie was in charge of a section of four machine gun
s accompanying the infantry in an attack. Seeing that all the officers and most of the NCOs of an infantry company had become casualties and that the men were hesitating before a nest of enemy machine-guns, the lieutenant handed over his command to an NCO, rallied the infantry, organised an attack and captured the strong-point. He then led a frontal attack on a pill-box which was causing casualties. The pill-box was captured but he was killed.
Hugh McKenzie also received the French Croix de Guerre
for his actions.
is displayed at the Museum of the Regiments in Calgary
, Alberta
, Canada.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, DCM
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
(5 December 1885 - 30 October 1917) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Details
McKenzie was born in InvernessInverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and emigrated to Canada He was 31 years old, and a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the 7th Company, Canadian Machine Gun Corps
Canadian Machine Gun Corps
The Canadian Machine Gun Corps was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army. The Canadian Permanent Machine Gun Brigade was organized in the Permanent Force on 3 Nov 1919. The Canadian Permanent Machine Gun Brigade was redesignated the Royal Canadian Permanent Machine Gun Brigade on 16 Jun 1921...
, Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 30 October 1917 at Meetscheele Spur, near Passchendaele
Passendale
Passendale or Passchendaele is a rural Belgian village in the Zonnebeke municipality of West Flanders province...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Lieutenant McKenzie was in charge of a section of four machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s accompanying the infantry in an attack. Seeing that all the officers and most of the NCOs of an infantry company had become casualties and that the men were hesitating before a nest of enemy machine-guns, the lieutenant handed over his command to an NCO, rallied the infantry, organised an attack and captured the strong-point. He then led a frontal attack on a pill-box which was causing casualties. The pill-box was captured but he was killed.
Hugh McKenzie also received the French Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
for his actions.
The medal
His Victoria CrossVictoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
is displayed at the Museum of the Regiments in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada.
External links
- HUGH MCDONALD MCKENZIE (service/personal details, photograph, citation, relevant documents, burial information)
- Legion Magazine Article on Hugh McKenzie
- Find-A-Grave profile for Hugh McKenzie