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Canadian born
CAPT ROY McKENZIE
Seaforth Highlanders
Muleteer Transportation Officer
1st Expedition
3 Column
77th Brigade 2nd Expedition
2 Btn
2nd Gurkha Rifles
Read "Ontario
Captain Among Mule-eating Warriers in 90 day Jungle Saga" Click
Read
"Smash Railways, Bridges, Relieve Pressure in China in Epic Jungle Campaign" -
Click
Jack Oulette writes "
My uncle, Roy McKenzie, returned
briefly to visit my parents after the war, in the uniform of Captain in the
British Army. He was accompanied for a short time by another uncle, both
brothers of my mother, who was a Private in the U.S. Army, 82nd Airborne
Division. I just remember this, being about 8 years old at the time, and it
seemed to me that they flitted in and out of my life like a lost post-card.
They were my heroes then, for an instant in time, and still are in spite of
time and circumstances.
Roy left a small steamer trunk
with my mother and it wasn't long before I gained access to discover an
assortment of keepsakes with, as I recall, some weapons, including two "kukri"
knives, and photos, letters, etc. My little adventure was soon discovered, and
this treasure chest was removed from my sight as quickly as it's owner had
vanished. When I asked my mother where my uncles had disappeared to the answer
was always sketchy and remained so over the years. I was told something to the
effect that they had been "different" when they returned, albeit that they
had, after all, been pretty rough around the edges before they had enlisted,
the sons of a widowed mother during the depression. But they knew how to party
in a serious way when the War was over, like many returned men, and they must
have made quite a mess in my little home town and turned their sister into
"the enemy", since she vowed that she would not have them back.
And so it was; I never saw them
again and they were hardly ever spoken of again. "These things happen" has
never been quite adequate for me and I've tried to put their stories together,
starting with Captain Roy McKenzie, British Army, possibly Military Cross,
Muleteer transportation officer, 3 Column, 1st
Expedition--------------Chindit.
Roy obviously made his way to the
U.K. early in the war and his trail has been picked up in 1943 as a Captain in
the Chindits, attached to the 2nd King Edward VII's Own Ghurkha Rifles, part
of the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade. According to Harold James, (Lt. in the
same unit at the time-"Across the Threshold of Battle") he was a
transportation officer, which was not an official title but a job to be done,
in the "3 Column" section of the brigade under Major Michael "Mad Mike"
Calvert. Details are sketchy, but he apparently led his muleteers, with the
column, across the river into Burma and participated in the demolition of the
railway facilities as well as other operations. He is said to have been
responsible for at least one ambush of Japanese troops, helping to make
possible the railway attack.
Following these operations behind
the Japanese lines, Wingate split up his brigade and sent them back to India
in their various ways and Captain McKenzie was apparently charged with leading
a group back. We find him, according to James, back in India with the rest of
the survivors of this very difficult raid, taking leave and "r and r" in
Kashmir. Beyond that I have not been able to trace Uncle Roy's whereabouts or
activities until he returned to visit my parents briefly after the War. I have
not been able to verify anything in relation to his possible decorations or
what became of him after the War, beyond a couple of reports that he was seen
in Windsor, Ontario.
Although it is late, I would
certainly value any information about Roy that might turn up. I regret not
knowing him as I grew up and not knowing sooner how this brave soldier served
his King and Country
Jack can be contacted on
turnstone@ns.sympatico.ca
Postscript:
Gavin Edgerley-Harris - Assistant Curator and Archivist of the Canadian
Military Museum writes "
Roy McKenzie was commissioned into the Seaforth Highlanders on 2nd
November 1942 and was seconded to 3rd battalion, 2nd Gurkhas. He served in No 3
Column 77Bde as Mule officer.
Engaged in successful operation around Nankan Village on 6th March 1943.
On return to India continued with the Battalion and accompanied it to Burma,
seeing service in the Arakan. Demobilized 1945.
Medals: 39-45 Star, Burma Star, Defence Medal, War Medal
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