Monday 4 November 2024

17669 Gunner Frank (23/6/1886-27/9/1918) and 22071 Gunner Arthur George, (2/9/1895-30/11/1918) McKenzie . "influenza and pneumonia"






Mr Arthur George McKenzie, who died at Wellington on November 30, was the youngest son of Mrs E. McKenzie, 53 Howe street, Dunedin. He left with the 17th Reinforcements as a machine gunner, and saw hard fighting in France for 10 months. He was severely wounded at Messines, and was sent to Brockenhurst, where he remained for eight months. He returned home about four months ago. He had his discharge, and had just left for a position in Wellington when he contracted influenza and pneumonia. His brother Frank, who was in the New Zealand Field Artillery, was killed in action on September 1, 1918, after seeing service in France for two years.  -Evening Star, 9/12/1918.

Frank McKenzie was killed on a day when the NZ Field Artillery was firing in support of an attack near Havrincourt, France.

Arthur McKenzie joined the Machine Gunners and was wounded with a bullet in his right cheek in November, 1917. On the day of his wound his unit was setting up its defensive positions on a vital part of the Front Line, so I suspect he was hit by a German sniper. It seems not to have healed properly and he was classified as unfit for service in April, 1918.



Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.

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