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| Queenstown Cemetery. |
Our Queenstown correspondent telegraphs:— "It is feared that William Mackenzie, son of Hugh Mackenzie, of Walter Peak Station, has met with an accident on the upper slopes of the mountain. The young man, who was out after sheep, was expected at the Beach Bay homestead on Wednesday afternoon. As he did not return a search party set out at 8 o'clock in the evening, to find that a landslip had occurred on the upper slopes. Here the footsteps, which had been followed so far, ended, and it would appear that the young man has been buried. There is no sign of his four dogs. Two search parties crossed the lake from Queenstown this (Thursday) morning, but there is no news of a discovery." -Otago Daily Times, 10/8/1906.
WALTER PEAK FATALITY.
(From Our Own Correspondent.) QUEENSTOWN, August 10. Twenty men were engaged all yesterday in digging away the snowslip on Walter Peak, and at 5 o'clock, they discovered the body of William MacKenzie, who was buried by a landslide on the upper slopes of the peak. Life was extinct. The slip had started close to the summit, and the body was found buried in 2ft of snow more than half a mile down the mountain from where the fall overtook the deceased. Some three chains of ice and frozen snow were cut away with axes and spades before the party was successful. The deceased was 21 years of age. He was out after sheep, and was expected at the Beach Bay homestead on the afternoon of August 8. Deceased was a son of Hugh MacKenzie, of Walter Peak Station. -Otago Witness, 15/8/1906.
LAKE COUNTY
Tribute of Respect. — I notice that the Queenstown Rifle Volunteers paid a very graceful tribute of respect to their late comrade, Private William Mackenzie, the victim of the sad fatality on Walter Peak. The annual social, which was to have been held last week, was postponed to September 22 next out of respect to his memory. -Otago Witness, 22/8/1906.
William, as a member of the Rifle Volunteers, would have gone with is brother, Walter, to the War when it began in late 1914. Walter went and "died with his face to the foe."
Goldfields Challenge Shield Competition.
QUEENSTOWN RIFLES WIN THE SHIELD.
The seventh annual competition for the challenge shield took place at the Arrow range on Tuesday last, 17th March. As usual the competitors were confined to the four Goldfields Volunteer Corps. The weather was the worst that has been experienced at these contests. Strong, tricky winds prevailed for the greater part of the day and heavy rain fell late in the afternoon. For this reason the shooting was the poorest that has been recorded at the matches since they were inaugurated. It is pleasing to state that the Queenstown Rifles for the second time pulled off the shield. The win was all the more meritorious because one of the original members of the team, Lieut. J. A. Reid, an expert marksman, was unable to be present. His place was taken by Sergt. Kelly, who had charge of the team. The experience gained at Trentham by the major portion of the home team no doubt stood them in good stead in the long ranges under such severe weather conditions as stated above. The Alexandra Rifles team, which was leading on the first two ranges by 19 points from Queenstown and Cromwell, had their majority wiped out at the 600 yds range and were topped by 19 points by the local team. At the 200 yds range Alexandra was leading by 16 points and also gained a further advantage at the 500 yds mound, but at the 600 yards distance the Queenstown men made a wonderful recovery, they scoring 38 points more than the Alexandra team and 13 more than the Cromwell team. At 200 yds, Pte S. Short (Alexandra), put up the possible, winning the range prize, Pte. Walter Mackenzie (Q.R.V.) being runner up with 34. The last-named made the highest aggregate, his score, 92, being a most remarkable one for so young a shot and considering the severe weather conditions. -Lake Wakatip Mail, 24/3/1908.
THE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
Volunteers from Arrow.
At a parade of the Arrow Troop, Fifth Regiment Mounted Rifles, held on Monday evening Lieut. Shand announced that he was prepared to receive applications in connection with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Lieut. Shand read the conditions of enrolment, the principal clauses of which were as follow: -
The conditions of the agreement or attestation will be to serve abroad out of New Zealand for the duration of the war and for such longer period as is required to convey the troops home.
No-one is to be included who has not reached the age of twenty years, and preference is to be given to single men.
All ranks will be required to undergo a medical examination before signing the attestation form, and no one will be accepted whose height is not 5ft 4in,and whose weight exceeds 12 stone, except in special cases.
Pay and allowances for all ranks will be at the rate of pay of the N Z. Territorial Forces when in annual camp.
Volunteers for Mounted Rifles must bring a suitable horse. These horses will be inspected by a veterinary officer at Squadron Headquarters before being brought to place of mobilisation. On being passed by the Regimental Board the horse will be paid for at market value — such value should not exceed £20. Horses for Mounted Rifles must be from 4 to 7 years of age and practically sound, from 14 1/2 to 15 1/2 hands in height.
Each sub-unit will mobilise at its own headquarters and after completion of the mobilisation those sub-units will concentrate at Tahuna Park, Dunedin. At the conclusion of the parade seven men volunteered for service and signed the necessary applications for enrolment.
The Queenstown Contingent.
The following members of B. Company, Tenth Regiment, have been accepted for service with the Expeditionary Force:— Lieut. Walter Mackenzie, Privates Robert F. Anderson, A. F. Sutherland, Ernest Cable, M. O. Pascoe, J. Oliphant, B. H. Anderson, and Norman Ross. Two members of the Post and Telegraph Corps, and a number of civilians have also volunteered for service. The men will leave to-morrow for Oamaru where they will go into camp temporarily. -Lake County Press, 14/8/1914.
'OUR BOYS' AT THE FRONT
LETTER FROM Pte. PASCOE.
Private Merle O. Pascoe, writing to the editor of this journal from Gallipoli under date 1st July, 1915, says: I don't intend to give you any details of the sad losses Queenstown has sustained as I suppose you have already been informed: also as regards their brilliant achievements. Any way that sort of correspondence is strictly censored and no doubt very rightly too, as the imagination of some would give rise to all sorts of contradictions and misunderstandings when it appears in print. My main object in writing you is to let you know that it has been my pleasure to come into contact with some of the old lads lately. For the past few weeks they have been relieving in the trenches and I often take a run over to see them. I had a good chat with 1st Lieut. Walter Mackenzie, who had some very exciting experiences to relate, but altho' enjoying the best of health, one could easily see that he was deeply moved and grieved at the loss of those of his more intimate acquaintances. Corp. Griffiths, Privates Oliphant and A. McBride are in grand spirits, but Pte. Scot, who has been doing a lot of specially strenuous work, seemed to be pretty well run down, altho' he would not complain and expressed the hope of soon getting another opportunity of coming to close quarters with the enemy. You would hardly credit the light-heartedness with which the Australasians treat this game. The English soldiers I have seen just dote on them and their courage and have given them the title of "White Ghurkas." But the Indian transport workers in their turn can't understand their ways at all. Thus the Indians, a good many of whom have been to France, speak of them: "English, all the same Indian. Turkey shell comes along, bang: he get down in dug-out, cover up head. Australia! he lift up head, say: 'Hooray!' (you hear a few colonial phrases I don't care about repealing) have another go."
Kindly remember me to any of my old acquaintances you may meet and let them know that I am in the best of health and enjoying a good rest from the trenches, but may have to return at any moment.
Private Pascoe is serving with the Australian forces, being connected with the 16th Battalion, 4th Brigade. -Lake Wakatip Mail, 31/8/1915.
Personal
Mrs P. Mackenzie, wife of Lieut. Mackenzie, of Walter Peak, Lake Wakatipu, has received a letter from a lady friend whose husband was wounded at the Dardanelles, and who was in the company of Lieut. Walter Mackenzie when he was cut down. The statements account most conclusively for our brave hero. The writer says: "I made enquiries from tour Oamaru men of the main body as to what happened to Lieut. W. Mackenzie, and I regret to tell you that immediately I asked: 'Did you know Lieut. Mackenzie?' the answer was: 'Yes, poor Watty!' One boy with tears in his eyes and choking voice described the nature of his death, and said he was one of the whitest officers we had." It seems, says the writer, that Lieut. Mackenzie was one of the many who went out with the advance on the fatal 8th August, when not one of the officers survived. He was seen by these men lying close by Major Statham and Sergt-Major Porteous. The reason no record is available of this awful tragedy was that not one officer of that party lived to take the record and the only information received was from the men who saw the dead and wounded and made notes at the time. -Lake Wakatip Mail, 23/11/1915.
Walter's cause of death is noted in his Army record as "Killed in action (result of C of E)." Another note states "Mortally wounded."
This would indicate that there his body was not recovered for burial and that witnesses were able to provide enough details to a Court of Enquiry for a verdict to be pronounced.
MINIATURE RIFLE SHOOTING
A pleasant function look place at the railway miniature rifle range on Monday evening, when a handsome silver cup in memory of Lieutenant Walter Mackenzie was presented to the Returned Soldiers’ Miniature Rifle Club by Major P. Mackenzie. There was a good muster of members.
In handing over the cup to the club Major Mackenzie said the club was taking a step in the right direction in encouraging members of the Returned Soldiers’ Association to take up the sport. It was a branch of sport which he was very desirous of fostering. He hoped that in the near future the club would go further and take its place oi the outside range. With the membership it had there was no reason why the club should not meet the world. In conclusion, the speaker made the stipulation that the cup should not be won outright.n
Mr P. L. Paterson accepted the cup on behalf of the club, and thanked Major Mackenzie for his gift. Major A. S. falconer, vice-president of the club, also spoke, he referred to his associations with Lieutenant Mackenzie, under whom he had served, and also spoke of his excellent service on Gallipoli. The cup will be known as the Lieutenant Walter Mackenzie Memorial Challenge Cup. -Evening Star, 5/5/1929.
Queenstown Cemetery.
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