McKENZIE, Alexander Charles
(Service number 82070)
| First Rank | Private | Last Rank | Private |
|---|
Birth
| Date | 23/03/1898 | Place of Birth | Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia |
|---|
Enlistment Information
| Date | 20 May 1918 | Age | 20 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address at Enlistment | Timaru Hotel, Timaru | ||
| Occupation | Teamster | ||
| Previous Military Experience | Territorials - still serving | ||
| Marital Status | Single | ||
| Next of Kin | William James McKENZIE (father), care of Miss Hart, Trafalgar Street, Timaru | ||
Military Service
| Served with | NZ Armed Forces | Served in | Army |
|---|
Embarkation Information
| Body on Embarkation | New Zealand Expeditionary Force | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit, Squadron, or Ship | 43rd Reinforcements, A Company | ||
| Date | 2 October 1918 | ||
| Transport | Matatua | ||
| Embarked From | Destination | London, England | |
| Other Units Served With | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Unit Served With | |||
Military Awards
| Campaigns | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Medals | British War Medal | ||
Award Circumstances and Date
No information
Prisoner of War Information
| Date of Capture | |
|---|---|
| Where Captured and by Whom | |
| Actions Prior to Capture | |
| PoW Serial Number | |
| PoW Camps | |
| Days Interned | |
| Liberation Date |
Death
| Date | Age | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Death | |||
| Cause | |||
| Memorial or Cemetery | |||
| New Zealand Memorials | |||
Biographical Notes
Alexander Charles McKenzie was born on 23 March 1898 at Wagga Wagga New South Wales, Australia, the son of William James and Emily Mary McKenzie. He was baptized on 9 April 1898 at St Michael’s, Wagga Wagga. In August 1903 Alexander was admitted to Phillipstown School, Christchurch, coming from the Convent School. In December 1903 he left for Opawa School. At the end of July 1911 he was admitted to West Christchurch from Riccarton, and left at the end of the 1913 school year for the Boys’ High School.
Alexander McKenzie had been deemed unfit when he was medically examined in November 1917 at Christchurch. He then enlisted on 20 May 1918 at Timaru. He was a teamster at Maungati and his given address was Timaru Hotel, Timaru. He was already serving with the Territorials. Single and of Church of England affiliation, he named his father as next-of-kin – William James McKenzie, care of Miss Hart, Trafalgar Street, Timaru, and afterwards of High Street, Waimataitai, Timaru. A. C. McKenzie was in the big draft which left for camp, under orders, on 17 June, as South Canterbury’s quota of the 43rd Reinforcements.
Private A. C. McKenzie embarked with the 43rd Reinforcements, departing for London, England, per the “Matatua” on 2 October 1918. He returned to New Zealand by the “Hororata” which was due at Wellington on or about 30 September 1919. He actually reached Timaru by the express from Christchurch on the afternoon of 22 September. The soldiers who returned were given a hearty welcome. The Deputy-Mayor “congratulated the men on their achievements, offered them the thanks of the whole community for what they had done, and wished them a speedy return to good health.” He called for cheers from the assembled crowd, and these were given with great heartiness. Discharged on 21 October 1919, he was awarded the British War Medal.
“Alexander Charles McKenzie came up for sentence, having pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing £73 belonging to J. S Herron, and with forging and uttering a Savings Bank withdrawal form for £40 with the name of J. H. Williams. Mr Emslie said he was instructed to appear for accused, who pleaded guilty to a series of thefts, and who shortly afterwards committed forgery. He could not offer any suggestion in the matter of sentence, but asked that accused be not sent to prison. The accused prior to going abroad with the Expeditionary Forces, had borne a good character, but since then had developed a liking for the town and certain associations. The father was anxious that accused be put on reformative treatment for a term. His Honour said accused had proved himself an impenitent thief. While one charge was hanging over him he stole a man’s bank book and committed forgery. The case did not seem to be one for probation. He would be ordered to be detained for a long term, five years, and if he behaved himself the Prison Board could let him out. He ordered that the sum of £6 9s 11d found on accused when arrested be paid to the Savings Bank at Timaru.” [Timaru Herald. 26 May 1920.]
The Police Gazette of 27 February 1924 carried a notice under PERSONS WANTED – “Wellington. – 20th instant, for failing to comply with conditions of his release upon probationary license, Alexander Charles McKenzie, age twenty-six, height 5 ft. 8½ in., carter, native of Australia, fresh complexion, brown hair, grey eyes, small burn-scar on left arm, two scars on right hip. His license has been cancelled and his arrest is desired.” He was arrested on 7 May 1924.
What became of Alexander Charles McKenzie? And his parents, William James and Emily Mary McKenzie? William and Emily were at various address in Christchurch in the early 1900s and had moved to Hobbs Street, Timaru by 1919.
Sources
Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [09 September 2022]; New South Birth registration (ancestry.com.au) [09 September 2022]; Baptism record (ancestry.com.au) [09 September 2022]; Timaru Herald, 15 June 1918, 28 August 1919, 23 September 1919, 26 May 1920 (Papers Past) [August 2022; 09 & 11 September 2022]; School Admission records (Canterbury Branch NZSG) [09 September 2022]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [September 2022]
External Links
Related Documents
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Researched and Written by
Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society
Currently Assigned to
Not assigned.
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License unless otherwise stated.