Lieutenant Colonel William McKenzie, MC, OBE - letters - 1916 - Part 4

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2019.22.5
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

The Saboation Arry Chaptain Austratian Expeditionary Forces 22/7/162 1 tling sweethcant Jua achartlate messages to requaintigd, Ir gadnally gtn to again als feemg mcell fr ay e Anadice Lrada out N0w0 At Ck Lanade (2 Bur adao 9.30 fol taff present Also on DRattoo lunal he spent I hove I kast 5 in my tent o te fas me with He is a great Chustian & fond of the 50 therafine opevai in theer I mansten meeting at night hot Ratota spoke tI came forward., And the Arishond rasbesidehimoeld with joy. He said fo have made me very happ to right and 1got ysus too must be very happ thim to shake hand on the pathonn ith each of the conveaks + then ade we convents He haudly knew whath ay onhow to talk to them + I had to save the stuation + catitohout He think you hubly a wondenfulman Dell me that he had was kind enonch much at awantt even before he
TeamHy Blackett had alosels hand there helping me paying all S.AMusic. Yesaey mouning wile juing to the Banbens to st my hawn cat at an impovised shop in the Desent, a young man came running aeross the lines halted aliaked his helts, salated & said excuse me sin I was pesent at your senvice yst He had pntedng with a new Brisade an tet) o donge eand you name Landon me toasti bt are your Bangdyy Mchanzie of the Oalo aong cuincued dane. H said Lreacusare you before sent dre heard n Tathen & mother speakl maat of you & they asredme to seek you out & made yelf mawn tyou + the also send them hin uemembranges to you I know well the thoughts of that Bothen onthen, they wan set me 2& Revd watch over the pay + so I had a him to wen his tonfidence conrensation with then writge him to my rent in the evening I had found he waent raned He cauealong athe a chat, he git soudly save & is waiting home the godneves. May dnickly t bas you all s teep you meath me shadow of this wing ShgsrRinsefonall. Fathan
CARD POST ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE tX Captia leading the 4. Battle at the head of the Pipe sand - ilein Denapen Canal) fory France Mareh 23r 1914 6 Rnn
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The Sabation Avrry Chaptain Austratian Expeditionary Forces 1 Lptry Bathalion of Brigade H.1.F. 16/4/1216 mave Barting Wife it a short line to let know that Itis well with me in is country where it is breezy + pail frqueatt cold at noistr eda little deed S about widds ehan qte 0 is the 10mles one tenest he enches.e anshellg at of the eas 0 Tewi also fac lights at tim but about and plostianst wall t dones passive to & fro ennatenial wous ded t e meanen the une in a faw ve he dayso of course will be the Trenches before long am staying at plesent of duty faronhouse, prenty of myst about a mob ofpeys suning tos in the centre ofthe a his dun fit and before the room wind
& tunst that this kinds you all the fing & that thingo ane all ighswith you the children I have benbaring letters for ara Ithing in we at the wait naeiv gt a letter from saobland i todo e annoss w e Hubby is at the war bnaw France with the husbands of hen two sites. roat bitter mother has re one way turred a canada with a batch So badly wounded canadians + heaung back gnew deaft of men trede misdons s attact was thig a itcorsiell eleact last week to at accuasonag to mak exeniences without aas protector 2 muntes thsas onl till many folks. stifling sensarion than apannfaom seneno ill effact tho I had a m at tay afterward. bad beadag readly Alessy somst close. $a thon
l e 4/5/16 in the H 0 stonds 38 2 tenbl &a Towes th 50 ef i ever the sal athend ett you y thepal slawe oihis k con en

22/2/16
My darling Sweetheart
Just a short later
message to acquaint you, I’m gradually getting
on top again & also freeing myself from
the Jaundice. I had a good day on Sunday
about 4000 at Ch’ Parades (2 Brigades)
9.30. Gnl & staff present - Also Lord Radstock
whom I took to lunch, he spent 3 hours
with me in my tent & we prayed together
He is a great Christian & fond of the S.A.
I had a fine open air in the evening &
a monster meeting at night Lord Radstock
spoke - 41 came forward. And the Aristocrat
was beside himself with Joy. He said you
have made me very happy tonight. And 
Jesus too must be very happy. I got
him to shake hands on the platform
with each of the converts & then address
the converts He hardly knew what to
say or how to talk to them & I had
to save the situation & cut it short.
He think your hubby a wonderful man
and was kind enough to tell me that he had
heard so much about my work, even before he left
England

 

2
Young Hy Blaskett had a lovely  band there
helping me playing all S.A. Music.
Yestdy morning while going to the Barbers
to get my hair cut at an improvised
shop in the Desert, a young man came
running across the lines halted, clicked 
his heels, saluted  & said excuse me Sir
I was present at your service yestdy (He had
linked up with a new Brigade on Wed) & I overheard
your name - Pardon me for asking but
are your Brigdr McKenzie of the Salv Army.
I answered I am. He said I never saw you before
but I've heard my Father & Mother speak much
of you & they asked me to seek you out & make
myself known to you & they also send their
kind remembrances to you." I knew well the
thoughts of that Father & Mother, they wanted me
to watch over the boy, & so I had a glad & kindly
conversation with him to win his confidence
& then invited him to my tent in the evening. I
had found he wasnt saved. He came along & after
a chat, he got soundly saved & is writing home
the good news. May God richly bless you all
& keep you neath the shadow of His wing
Hugs & Kisses for all.
Father
[*PR84/150 (3)
Australian
War Memorial*]

 

Photograph - see original document

 

 POST CARD
Capt McK leading the 4th
Battln at the head of the
Pipe Band - leaving Serapeum
(Suez Canal) for France
March 23rd 1916
PR84.150 (7)
Australian
War Memorial

 

The Salvation Army.
Chaplain Expeditionary Forces
At Sea
March 24th 1916
Mrs McKenzie
Melbourne
My Darling Mummy
Here we are
at sea, again on the Simla &
making for the Continent of E,
our new address will be 4th
Battln 1st Infty Brigade A.I.F.
"Somewhere in France" So the fun
will soon begin once more. I
guess we'll be into the conflict by
the end of April or thereabouts
The fighting will then be awful
owing to the ten thousand
guns in action, some of them
monsters too, however, tho got 
to be faced & finished - the boys
are eager for the fray & anxious
to meet the Germans. Only a
few months more & the war
will finish - I guess October -
& then some short time later,
we'll start for Home sweet home.
We have a full compliment of
Troops on Board, and 4
more chaplains besides myself 

 

4th Battln 1st Infty Brigade A.I.F.
"Somewhere in France
8/4/16
My Dearest Mama
I am here
billeted in a French village and
in a few days will be moving
into the fighting line to recieve
& give a bit of 'Strafe' I could
say much of our trip thro'
France from far sth to North
but at present refrained for
obvious reasons. The Censorship
is very tight here in the meantime,
as it would be very
unwise were it otherwise. You
will read of "something doing"
ere you get this letter. The Country
is extremely interesting, the
people nice & kind also, tho
very poor in the main.
I hope that everything is going
well with you and the children
I have just this day (Satdy) got
your letter of Feb 28th & note with
great interest all you say re
yourself with the boys & Mavis
I also got a letter from Joe Hood
& a line with postcard from
Hilda. You enclosed the latter.
I note that my Bro Archie has
[*been to visit them, he is doing Guard (Rwy) work
at Maryboro' now. I got a great many letters
for lonely soldiers' but the last two mails, they*]

 

are eagerly rushed by the boys.
Things are going all right with
me & the experience promises
to be interesting. I have not
met anyone I know in former
days from London or elsewhere
in S.A. circles.
I must conclude with very much
love to your & the children
Hugs & Kisses for all.
May God richly bless you
Yours as ever
Father.
The shortness of my note is
due to the length of censor's
arms.
P.S. I see 'Simla' has been torpeoded
she had two lengthy newsy letters
for you & over fifty from me in
all chiefly aplies to enquiry
cases. It is hard luck
PR84/150 (3)
Australian
War Memorial 

 

The Salvation Army
Chaplain Australian Expeditionary Forces,
4th Inftry Battalion
1st Brigade A.I.F.
France
16/4/1916
My Darling Wife
Just a short line to let
know that all is well with me in
this country where it is breezy & fairly
cold at times - It rains frequently
at times & indeed snowed a little
this morning or rather about midday
We, of course are having quite interesting
times tho' 10 miles or so
off the trenches. We hear the roar
of the guns, see the star shells at night
& also flash lights at times. There is
much motor transport about and
passing to & fro day & night - stores
war materials, wounded etc We
move nearer the line in a few
more days & of course will be
in the Trenches before long.
I am staying at present at a
dirty farmhouse plenty of mud
about a mob of pigs running loose
a big dung fort in the centre of the
yard, before the room window.

 

2
I trust this finds you all
'in the pink' & that things are
going on all right with you
& the children I have been looking
for a letter from home - I think
we get the mail tomorrow.
I got a letter from Scotland my
cousin (today) Mrs Cairncross, whos
Hubby is at the war here in France
with the husbands of her two sisters.
one was frostbitten, another has returned
to Canada with a batch (300)
badly wounded Canadians & he brings
back a new draft of men.
I was thro' a trial poisonous gas attack
& tearshell effect last week to get
accustomed to such experiences
without a gas protector 2 minutes
in this gas would kill many folks.
Apart from a stifling sensation, there
were no ill effects, tho' I had a very
bad headache all day afterwards.
I must close. May God richly bless you
all - Father -
PR84/150(3)
Australian
War Memorial

 

 France 4/5/16
My Darling Wife
I sit in the Trenches
here to write this note. It is a
fine morning tho' very cloudy, yet
mild & refreshing withal. I am
not feeling too good since Sunday
last tho' Im gradually improving.
After doing 10 services on Sunday
entailing considerable walking
& biking, which evidently was a
bit too much for my nervous
reserve as I was trembling like
a leaf at 8 p.m. consequently
I got a high fever & had a terrible
night of it with all sorts of
nightmares & had to get up and
retch 4 times. I was in bed all
day, on monday - that is my
equivalent for a bed. However
I am now much better, tho'
still seedy & will no doubt
be myself once more within
a few days. From 8.30 a.m.
to 7 p.m. with 1 hour for lunch
is a long time to be singing &
praying, talking & travelling.
I certainly had some fine
services & the men even the
most of the R.C's also attend
them. I could tell you some
funny incidents re the jealusies
of other Chaplains on this
score & their efforts to counter.

 

 

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