Lieutenant Colonel William McKenzie, MC, OBE - Diary - 1914 - 1917 - Part 6
Church burned down & many houses
ruined - we camped here for the
night & left at 4 A.M. for a
farm house billet behind the firing
line where we were in support of the
2nd Battln. The 9th Battln got shelled
in Billet - 70 casualties. Brooks
& McGrath amongst them - on April
25th Anzac Day - I had bought 400
lbs of fruit cake to give the boys a
hunk each in memory of Anzac Bay
They liked it well. I had travelled
to Baileaul Canteen for this - 9
miles - Heavy shelling every day -
I buried our first Casualty in France
on 'Anzac Day' Foster D. Compy 4th
We went into the forward trenches
on Weds night May 4th & with considerable
shelling each day - then very busy
improving trenches & 'dugouts'
we were in for 16 days during
which time we had 26 casualties
10 killed, 16 wounded - buried Smith
& McKinnon - found letter addressed
to me in the paybook of former.
We came out of Trenches in late
night May 21st & returned to daily
in reserve. Held Church Parade
at Mill 11 A.M. Sunday, men very tired.
Had a useful busy week. Parade
held Sunday working under
fruit trees in Orchard. A big
musical in theatre aftn & a Service
at night in Hut, several decisions
One man lost recently grandmother,
mother & daughters - tribute 'with ME'
etc. He was deeply moved.
Left for London on Monday night
pm May 29th slept from 10 pm to 4 AM
in Y M C A Steenmouth & then went
to Rly Station. Got train for Bologne
arriving abt 4-30 & catching boat
right away for Folkstone. Got
train abt 2-30 p.m. journeyed
in Billman's & had lunch aboard
took train to Liverpool St & thence
to Pembury Road, visited L.H.Q. next
day chatted with a number of
leading Officers, including Corman
Higgins, Raneb, Rawley Jeffries
& others. Duce & Knoth besides
Carpenter later. I arrived in
London on Tuesday night & left
on Friday night for Scotland -
visiting my relations Edinburgh,
Glasgow, Wishaw, Peebles & retnd
to London Weds morning & went
to L.H.Q. day at Clapham aftn & night
where I got a great reception &
had to speak in the aftn session.
June 7th - Had tea with Condon & Jacque
spent next day doing 'bis' & drive to
Wandsworth Hospital had photo
taken with C.& G. in 'Baptist house'.
Retd to France on Friday arriving
on Sailly 1 a.m. Satdy morning 10th June
& left that night for Gluerbatt to
support 2nd Battln. Had 6 Services
on Sunday, (had 10 in unfortunately)
God was with us in these services
we were in support for 14 days
I buried Lt Hunter & Chrystal of
the 2nd Battln during this time.
'Rodgers' was brought in to the Trenches
during our first week at Wye Farm
which H Qrts we took over on Saty
June 24th R. brought in 28th Raiders
were very plentiful on all sides
Heavy gun work & rain in plenty
we were in this position until Wed
night July 5th when we were relieved
by the 46th we retd to Sailly for
2 days where we encamped & prepared for
a 'move on', Moved out on Sunday
morning early for 'Ostherstern' for
2 nights. Dumped luggage at Baileaul
Maison De Charite (Sisters of Charity.
Then on Tuesday morning we set out
for Baileaul where we entrained for
the Somme. We detrained & then walked
for 10 miles where we camped for
the night & then off again to another
village the following day - Thus we
went on thro lovely country beautiful
& picturesque, delightful weather
smiling fields, splendid Crops with
flowers, singing birds, shady trees, old
villages. We ultimately passed on to
Warloy some 5 miles from Albert
We stayed 3 Days at this village &
held a fine open air meeting in the
street. We moved on toward the
trenches on Weds evening getting into the
La Boiselle dump (ex German Trenches)
at 11 p.m. Here we were in support
for a few days & nights & on Satdy
July 22nd we moved up to attack Risigton
which attack began about midnight
The 1st Brigade took the village after
a tough days fighting. The Germans
were cowed & surrendered easily -
great progress was made & many trenches
The Germans turned all possible
Guns large & small on to the
villages after capture & control
the boys stood like a rack tho' the
punishment was severe. Many
were buried & dug out several times
& then unable to get out & perished
Some went mad quite a few lost
their nerve & some were blown to
fragments. It was strenuous
4 days & nights - losses in Brigade
2,000 - (50 Officers included). I had
spent the days (for 10 days) gathering
up & burying the dead. British,
German & Austn. It was trying
& at times risky work.
We got into a trench outside Albert
for a day & then marched out
to a forest near Conta, for
a night & day before going
on another 12 miles - We
had 4 days marches & ultimately
landed at _____ where we
remained 9 days & 10 nights
We were at the Mayor's Chateau
& had several Concerts Also Sports
3 services on Sunday. Commander
of Lone Pine charge at night,
We left here at 9 A.M. on Wedy &
marched to ____ Chateau Farm
Men camped in open held a
Concert at night. It rained before
morning men got wet. We set
out at 5 am for march to Fricourt
arriving there at noon. However
tired -
Friday March 23rd 1917. Arrived in
Ribemont village from Fricourt
B. Camp yesterday afternoon, a march
of 8½ miles over muddy roads, still
the Battalion came along at a fine
swinging pace, the Brass Band
enlivening the boys enroute with
some fine tunes as also the Bugles
The Band under Pearson has made
remarkable progress & gives much
promise of being a fine combination
We had snowstorms (3 times)
during the day & the cold was
intense. Ribemont is a miserable
village & the people all
'on the make' out of the soldiers.
Their prices are extortionate.
The Billets are miserable. Three
of no sleep on a damp brick
floor & my rheumatics are
rather trying. The men are in
fine heart & look very fit
after their trying winter watch
in the Trenches. The recent fighting
& the German retirement has had
a fine rejuvenating effect on
them & I guess they will show
up to good advantage in the
coming offensive.
It is not 12 months ago today
since we embarked on the
Sinla at Alexandria Egypt &
sailed for Marseilles France
at 9 p.m. the same evening.
Much has happened since then.
Certificate enlisting William McKenzie as Chaplain 25/9/1914 ~ see original
Photograph in front of pyramid's - see original document.
Mother
Chaplain
GREEN Unsworth Wm. McKENZIE
of from 1st A.I.F.
New Zealand. ENGLAND. 4th Battalion
Photograph of battalion in Egypt - see original document
on Parade in
front of camp
4th Battalion
A.I.F. to which
Chaplain McKenzie
is attached
25/1/15 for Home
CONTENTS. Journal written by WILLIAM McKENZIE - M.C.
who was appointed CHAPLAIN
to 4th Battalion, 1st A.I.F.
& sailed by "Euripides", 1914
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