Distinguished Conduct Medal and bar : Company Sergeant Major R Mackenzie, 18 Battalion, AIF

Distinguished Conduct Medal and bar (Geo V). Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

Roderick Mackenzie was born at Lochcarron in the Scottish highlands in 1891, and had five years' service with the Ross-shire Field Artillery as a young man, before coming to Australia. He served an apprenticeship with the Union Steam Ship Company of Sydney, and was employed as a merchant seaman when war broke out. Enlisting in the AIF in June 1915, he became private number 1980, a member of the 3rd Reinforcements to 18 Infantry Battalion. He joined his unit on Gallipoli in October 1915, and remained on the peninsula until the evacuation in December. By the time 18 Battalion reached France in March 1916, he had been promoted to the rank of lance corporal. Severely wounded in the left knee at Pozières in August, it was a year before Mackenzie was able to rejoin his unit, but he soon rose to the rank of sergeant.

He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his gallantry in the fighting around Westhoek, Belgium, in September 1917. In October the following year, as a company sergeant major, he received a Bar to this award for his part in an action near Estrées, France, in which his acting company commander, Lieutenant Joe Maxwell, received the Victoria Cross. Following his return to Australia in 1919, Mackenzie resumed his career as a merchant sailor, remaining in this trade until the 1931. He died in Sydney in December 1961. The citation for the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal reads as follows: ‘During assault on morning of 20/9/17 near WESTHOEK he displayed bravery and leadership of the highest order in dashing forward close to the barrage with his section. He was responsible for the capture of several shell hole positions. During the consolidation he showed absolute disregard for personal safety and rendered his officers great assistance in laying out and constructing defences. This N.C.O. took out several patrols and gained much valuable information. During these patrols he carried in many wounded, often under heavy M.G. fire and that of snipers. His splendid example did much to keep up the moral [sic] of his men under the heavy shell fire which followed consolidation.’

The citation for the award of a Bar to the DCM reads as follows: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in the attack near ESTREES, North of ST. QUENTIN, on 3rd October, 1918. The Company Commander and two other officers early became casualties. The wire in front of the objective was uncut by the artillery. C.S.M. MACKENZIE, with a pair of wire cutters, under heavy machine gun fire, cut a track through the wire and led a platoon of which he had assumed command through the gap. He was the first of his platoon to reach the objective and personally superintended its mopping up and consolidation. After all the Companies’ objectives were taken, rifle fire was opened from a pill-box in rear and on his left flank. He organised a small party and rushed the pill-box. Outstripping the rest of the party he bayoneted two of the enemy and took the remaining four prisoners.’ Several of Mackenzie’s brothers also saw service in the First World War, including Donald, who also served with 18 Battalion, but later transferred to serve with engineering units, and John, who served with the Royal Navy in minesweepers. Another brother, Malcolm, who was also a merchant seaman, was part of the crew of the 3947 ton New Zealand steamer 'Wairuna' which was captured and sunk by the German commerce raider 'Wolf' in June 1917. He and the other 40 members of the crew were imprisoned aboard the 'Wolf' until February 1918, when it returned to Germany, and subsequently in an internment camp at Karlsruhe.

• 1914-15 Star : Private R Mackenzie, 18 Battalion, AIF
• British War Medal 1914-20 : Warrant Officer Class 2 R Mackenzie : 18 Battalion, AIF
• Victory Medal : Warrant Officer Class 1 R Mackenzie, 18 Battalion, AIF