- Hugh McKenzie
Hugh McDonald McKenzie VC, DCM (
December 5 ,1885 -October 30 ,1917 ) was a Canadian recipient of theVictoria Cross , the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.Details
He was 31 years old, and a
lieutenant in the 7th Company,Canadian Machine Gun Corps ,Canadian Expeditionary Force during theFirst World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.On
30 October 1917 atMeetscheele Spur , nearPasschendaele ,Belgium , Lieutenant McKenzie was in charge of a section of fourmachine gun s 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.Further information
Hugh McKenzie also received the French
Croix de Guerre for his actions.The medal
His
Victoria Cross is displayed at theMuseum of the Regiments "(Calgary, Alberta, Canada)".Fact|date=September 2007References
*
Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
*The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
*Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)
*VCs of the First World War - Passchendaele 1917 (Stephen Snelling, 1998)External links
* [http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/content/collections/VC/detail.cfm?casualty=1594227 HUGH MCDONALD MCKENZIE] "(service/personal details, photograph, citation, relevant documents, burial information)"
* [http://www.legionmagazine.com/features/victoriacross/05-05.asp Legion Magazine Article on Hugh McKenzie]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8043203 Find-A-Grave profile for Hugh McKenzie]
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