1914-15 Star : Private R Mackenzie, 18 Battalion, AIF

1914-15 Star. Impressed reverse 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 Pozieres 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 seaman, remaining in this trade until 1931. He died in Sydney in December 1961. 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 were subsequently held in an internment camp at Karlsruhe.