Lieutenant Hugh MacDonald McKenzie

1. Lieutenant (Army).
2. Sergeant, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, Infantry (Army).
3. Private, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, Infantry (Army). 1914-08-21 ?

Victoria Cross
Comment: On 30 October 1917 at Meetscheele Spur, near Passchendaele, Belgium, Lieutenant McKenzie was in charge of a section of four machine guns 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.
Notes: Museum of the Regiments (Military Museums), Calgary, Alberta

Distinguished Conduct Medal

Croix de Guerre (France)

Son of Mrs. Jane McDonald McKenzie, of 23, James St., Dundee, Scotland. Born December 5, 1885 in Inverness, Scotland (according to attestation paper); Lived at 297 Gertrude Avenue, Verdun, Québec. Joined the P.P.C.L.I. in August 1914 as a Private [an original]. Promoted to Sergeant. Promoted to Lieutenant January 28, 1917 and seconded to the 7th Brigade Machine Gun Company.

Although Hugh's attestation papers list Inverness as his place of birth Hugh was actually born in Liverpool, England with his widowed mother moving the family to Inverness to live with a relative when Hugh was approx 6 weeks old. His widowed mother and the family moved to Dundee when Hugh was a child where he attended Rosebank School, Dundee. On leaving school he was employed as a carter with the Caledonian Railway Company. He emigrated to Canada in 1911.