MID HA McKenzie Commando / Para

Cpl Henry Anthony McKenzie ,Green Howards won the MM in Korea whilst attached to the Duke of Wellingtons Regiment.
I read in a newspaper article that during WW2 he was MID for his work in Burma with the Commandos and he went on to the end of World War Two in the Airborne Forces. I have no idea what regiment he joined at the beginning of WW2.

I cant find the MID in the LG but thats not unusual for me. Does anyone have the Token Publishing book on MIDs to the Army that could look it up.
Thanks for reading this
Max

 

Further to the above he was not MID. But I have confirmation that he was wounded in Burma and later served with the 6th Airborne in France and Germany. This confirmation came from official sources. If anyone can add some more info please let me know.

 

From the London Gazette
The Military Medal
22795542 Corporal (Acting) Henry Anthony McKenzie, The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment).

Can find no record for him in the Casualty Lists, suggest that you obtain his service records which will give you his full details.

 

22795542 is a post-war service number, Mckenzie must have re-enlisted.

5183086 MCKENZIE H.A. Pte. 1st Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment wounded in action 7/8.3.1942 in Burma ?

 

Just a follow up on this one. I got the mans papers from JPAC in Glasgow and this confirmed that after Burma he joined the Army Air Corps in 1944 and completed parachute training. He served in the Ardennes and Op Varsity with the Airborne. Leaving the army in 1946 and rejoining for the Korean War where he won the MM. Theres a book called “ Fortune Favours The Brave” by AJ Barker. Cpl McKenzie is pictured second from the left on the book cover.

 

nemesis,

Out of curiosity I checked the nominal roll for the 7th Battalion (L.I.) The Parachute Regiment and was surprised to find a Pte H.A. McKenzie listed.



He doesn't turn up in the index for the book "The Tale of Two Bridges" or elsewhere for that matter, but I could have missed him.

Regards ...

 

Hi,

I contacted Michael P-C and asked if he had any further info on Pte McKenzie. I'll just copy and paste his email here which also mentions two other men from the 7th Parachute Battalion who were involved in the Korean War.

"I do have info on 5183086 Henry “Mac” McKenzie, he was in the machine gun platoon HQ Coy and is back row third from the left in the photograph taken outside Salisbury Cathedral in 1945. You can just see his wound stripe on his left arm. Picture is on Para Data, as I can not get my copy to send to you.

Ron Perry stated that he was an army boxer had been with the Gloucesters in Burma and had served in No 2 Bush Commando.

I do not believe he was in Normandy but joined as a reinforcement afterwards. He was in the Ardennes and jumped from stick 237 on Op Varsity on 24th March 1945 as 9th man out of a stick of 13 men, two were wounded on that day from this stick.

6th man from this stick is 4272061 (also as 4272069) Pte Hugh Cox, in Salisbury photo centre row 2nd from right. He had served in the SAS before joining 7 Para. He was injured in Germany in a shooting accident with a captured German weapon. I have a newspaper cutting for him being killed with the Black Watch 18/19th November 1952 in Korea as a corporal after 14 years service, he was serving in the Gordon Highlanders, when he got his GSM for South East Asia.

Whilst you are looking at Korea I know of another ex 7 Para man from C Coy Pte 14422233 Montague Ritterband, he was demobbed in 1946 joined the Israeli army, then rejoined the British army and was killed as Corporal 22290920 with B Coy 1 K.S.L.I. On 17/11/1951.

Ron did tell me that several men including Mac had served in Korea. I found the above two but could not trace Mac as it would appear he re-joined and I could not find him on the G.S.M medal list.

I noticed in the WW2 site it stated his original unit was not known. His regimental number beginning with 518 would indicate that he enlisted with the Gloucesters.

Hope this is of some help. I think it must be the same man and some confusion has been caused over his Christian name but as he was always known as Mac in 7 Para, I am not surprised."

There are a couple photos of the MMG Platoon on Paradata one of which is signed with names which I'll attach here.



Many thanks to Michael once again.

Regards ...

 

As an extra possible piece of info here. Some Glosters were involved in clandestine operations against the Japanese during the retreat from Burma in early 1942. Many of these men moved over to the Bush Warfare School at Maymyo, before needing to exit Burma for India in March. Some of these men ended up training to become commandos on the first Wingate expedition. Being wounded at the time, perhaps MacKenzie missed this opportunity?

Seen below is a page from the 142 Commando War diary from 1942, showing some of the Glosters on strength with the Chindits commandos:

 

Outstanding information gents. Heres what I have on HA McKenzie and I thank you again for the additional information on him. I will re write my page on him. Its noted on a regimental website that he boxed with Freddie Mills. Anyway heres what I have from the complete set of papers I have on him

22795542 Cpl Henry Anthony McKenzie 1st Battalion The Duke of Wellingtons Regiment, who joined the Army in 1935 when underage by adding one year to his actual date of birth. During World War Two he served in Burma with the 1st Battalion the Gloucestershire Regiment where in his service papers he was recorded being wounded in Battle in Burma on 7/8 March 1942.


On the 5th of July 1944 he is recorded in his service documents as having successfully completed a Parachute course and on the 6th July 1944. His service papers also show that 5183086 Henry Anthony McKenzie is shown as having joined the Army Air Corps and serving with the 6th Airborne Division , 7th Battalion Parachute Regiment. And serving in North West Europe .

His mother is shown on the roll as his next of kin and was living at 67 St Cuthberts Avenue, Horsley Hill Estate, South Shields, Co Durham.

He is recorded by the Airborne Assault Museum IWM Duxford as having served in the 7th Battalion the Parachute Regiment and saw action in the Ardennes, and the Rhine Crossing (Op Varsity). His service documents confirm these actions.


The Airborne Museum database shows him as being part of the Medium Machine Gun Platoon, Company unknown, 7th Parachute Battalion, The Parachute Regiment.


He was de mobilised from the Army in 1946.


On the 5th March 1952 he Volunteered for service in Korea joining the Green Howards and served in Korea with The Duke of Wellingtons Regiment. Noted on his enlistment papers was a request to serve with the Parachute Regiment. He won his MM for Outstanding courage under fire on many occasions in Korea where on one incident he was involved in a fire fight with the enemy which resulted in a series of Tunnels being destroyed . Now promoted to Sergeant and in the Regimental Police he went on to serve with the DWR being posted to Cyprus in 1956 during the emergency fighting the terrorist EOKA organisation.


In 1958 he is recorded as having joined the Army Military Corrective Centre in Colchester on the Staff as a Sergeant. He went on to serve with the MCTC being posted to Hong Kong in 1961 .


He was discharged from the regular army in 5th March 1964 and almost immediately joined the Territorial Army in 439 ( Tyne) Regiment Royal Artillery at South Shields on 16th March 1964.

 

Thats McKenzie ,Third from the Left. No doubt about that. The man on the extreme left of the picture of the book cover is Tom Dickie an Irishman and ex paratrooper who served in WW2

 

Hi Max,

Thank you for the extra details from his service papers. He had very eventful and varied Military career. The 7 Para MMG Platoon would of course have been part of the the HQ Coy. I'm not sure if the sections were attached to the various Coys post Normandy or sent where needed as the situation called for? A further observation from Michael regarding the platoon:

"The men in the MMG platoon were an interesting bunch. There were several men who had been in Burma and India with the KOYLI and a Jock who had been in Hong Kong but managed to get away. Then they were joined by the likes of the footballer Sid Hobbins, who had been in the R.A.F. Then transferred to the army and then the Paras."

Does it say anywhere in his service papers what became of him immediately after war's end and his demob in 1946. Was he by any chance sent out to the Far East, assigned to a 1st Airborne unit or did he stay in England in a holding company for example?

There is no doubt "Mac" Mckenzie was quite an interesting character and thanks for taking the time to tell his story.

Regards.

 

Thanks Cee. He left the Army from a Holding Battalion his release leave being in January 1946. He was noted as being a phyisical training instructor. He rejoined in March 52 giving his trade as Rugby Pro. He was a Geordie from South Shields. In a newspaper artice on the DWR in Gibraltar it stated that he had served with the Commandos in Burma and the Paras.he was in the Regimental Police then
He is pictured on the cover and is photographed and mentioned twice in a book “ Fortune Favours the Brave” by AJ Barker DSO which highlights the operations by the DWR in Korea and the Battle of the Hook. In the book he is described as a tough war scarred Geordie who had served as a paratrooper.
He served on after Korea being awarded the GSM for Cyprus. He wasnt recomended for his Long Gong.
Not a bad achievement for someone who lied about his age to join the Army in 1935 he said he was born in August 1917 but was in fact born in August 1919.
Theres lots of service documents for him.
He died in April 1994

 

McKenzies WW2 movements

 

Thanks Max, well done.

I asked Michael the same question regarding how the MMG Platoon was employed and he replied:

"In WW2 Parachute battalions had three rifle companies and one HQ Coy. Support Coy formed after the war.

MMG platoon had 40 men and consisted of 4 Vickers machine guns. On D-Day they were used as part of the Divisional defensive plan, along with the other battalions. (Unfortunately 7 Para failed to locate their guns after the drop)

The rest of the time positioned as and where needed, so a team might be posted to support a Company in a set location for defence or grouped together for fire support for an attack. They were not attached to a rifle company on a permanent basis."

Regards ...

 

Thanks. Will add this to his file , its getting clearer to me now what was happening there

 

Thats a possibility because he was wounded. I have listed an image today of his WW2 movements

 

If I were a betting man, I would say that Henry was wounded during the withdrawal of British forces from the Rangoon area in March 1942. The 1st Glosters had the unenviable task of providing rearguard as the rest of the Division escaped north along the Taukkyan Road. By the end of the month the battalion was reduced to just a few officers and 140 Other Ranks.

 

Thanks for the reply. I see from his papers that he was in India for a while

 

Just reviewing my notes on HA McKenzie in case anyone in the forum has any more info to add to his file. I have tried to get photos from his last Army service in The Royal Regiment of Artillery 439 ( Tyne ) Regiment RA ( TA ) and although my request was met with enthusiasm no photos of him have been found.
Thanks for reading this. Max