• mckenzie a
  • mckenzie a

MacKENZIE, John Alex

War
2nd Word War
Date of Birth
Regimental Number
57810
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
52
Biographical Summary

Name:             MacKENZIE     John Alex
Rank:              Private     K57810
Regiment:       1st Canadian Army - 3rd Canadian Infantry Division - 7th Infantry Brigade                                                               Canadian Scottish Regiment - Princess Mary's
                       “ready for the fray”
                       Royal Canadian Infantry Corp                                                                                            Residence:     Brackendale - British Columbia                                                                                                    Birth:               May 5, 1896 - Port Albert - Township of Ashfield - County of Huron - Ontario                                  Died:               June 9, 1944     48 years   1 month
Cemetery:       Bretteville-Sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery - Bretteville-sur-Laize - Calvados - France 
                        XXV1 G 4                                                                                                                                Brother:          Dr. Hector MacKenzie - Bellevue / Nanton - Alberta
                       Donald MacKenzie - Blyth / Dungannon - Ontario                                                                      Sister:            Miss Mary MacKenzie - Blyth / Dungannon - Ontario                                                                                                Miss Grace MacKenzie - Dungannon / Toronto - Ontario                                                            Niece:            Miss Ethel MacKenzie - Goderich - Ontario 

Alex was born in Port Albert - Ontario on May 5, 1896. He received his education in Huron County and left school at the age of 15 after had had his junior matriculation. Alex had served during the First World War with the 43rd Battalion - Cameron Highlanders of Canada. Prior to his enlistment in 1940 he had been in logging as a topper and he employer was Bloedel Stewart and Welsh. He had owned a small farm in British Columbia and had 5 years farming experience in Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.                                                He travelled to Vancouver and he enlisted into the 1st Canadian Scottish with the Canadian Active Service Force at the age of 44 years 2 months on July 10, 1940. Upon enlistment he was 5' 9" tall and weighed 153 pounds. He had a fair complexion with blue eyes and brown hair.He was assigned to "B" Company of the 1st Battalion - Canadian Scottish. From the time of his enlistment until the end of 1940 he was training at MacAuley Point Barracks on Vancouver Island across the harbour from Victoria. At the end of 1940 he was given furlough until mid January of 1941.Following his furlough he was posted to Debert - Nova Scotia where he continued with his training.                                                                                                                                                                      In July of 1941 Private MacKenzie was granted embarkation leave from July 14-19. Then on August 23rd the SS Princess Elaine set sail from Halifax and he was struck off Service to the Canadian Army in Canada. A day later he was Taken on Service with the Canadian Army overseas with the Canadian Scottish at Camp Aldershot - Hampshire. From September 25-29 Private MacKenzie was granted Landing Leave.                                          The training was continuing at Camp Aldershot when he was granted leave from January 5-12, 1942. Six months later he was granted leave from June 6-12. On June 16th he was attached to the first aid post of the 7th Infantry Brigade. He again received leave from October 5-11th.                                                                                  Training continued into 1943 and he again was on leave from January 14-22nd. on May 2nd he was again attached to the first aid post of the 7th Infantry Brigade until May 23rd. On June 1st he was granted pay of $1.50 per day.                                                                                                                                                                When June 3rd 1944 arrived the Canadian Scottish had been training in England for 2 years  9 months. Three days later on June 6, 1944 thay landed on the French beaches at Normandy.                                                      On June 9th the total strength of the Canadian Scottish was 37 Officers and 822 men of other ranks. On this
day the weather was cloudy with variable showers.
They were in the area of Putot-en-Bessin and Noorey-en-Bessin as this was part of the battle for Caen.
On June 7-8th they were part of the first attempt to take Caen and this was attempted with a direct assault
and the Canadian Scottish were part of some of the most vicious fighting in the campaign to date. On the 8th
the Germans attacked and lost ground, then counter attacked to regain that ground and lost 45 men killed
and 80 wounded or missing. In the evening the Germans again attacked and with tanks this time but they
were forced to retreat. Later in the evening the Canadian Scottish along with the support of the 1st Hussars
succeeded in taking Authie and again the cost was extremely high. The Regiment was at Putot-en-Bessin and during the early morning the Germans continued with their mortar fire but an enemy counter attack did not develop. German snipers were very active in the forward areas. However, the Canadian Scottish did attack strong enemy positions during the night and Private McKenzie fell with the leading company. At 12:15 hours German tanks along with infantry began to cross the bridge. They were met by heavy Canadian fire and they retreated toward Bronay. Two German counter attacks developed in the afternoon. One was between 12:00 – 14:00 hours and the second took place between 15:30 – 18:00 hours and both these attempted enemy attacks were repulsed by “A & D” Companies. But it was costly for “D” Company as they suffered heavy casualties. The Canadian tank support was slow in arriving because of a German tank threat to the north. During this
time the forward Companies were constantly under heavy German mortar fire. German snipers were still very active but three of them were eliminated. Then during the night of June 8-9th the Battalion made a "determined” and successful counter-attack
against strong enemy positions.
On this day the Canadian Scottish suffered 36 killed, 63 wounded and 12 missing.
It has been said that…”never once did a wounded man whimper, with the opposite being the case and time
and time again men who were badly wounded kept going back onto the line to continue the fight”...”these
past few days had been nothing more than an all out shoot out, with both the Canadians and the Germans
blasting away at one another with everything they had in their arsenals all day and all night.
The family received the first letter following his death and the date was July 1, 1944. It was from Captain
Mollinson, the CO of No. 16 Platoon. He said that Alex was the eldest in the Platoon and that his powers of
endurance put those half his age to shame. He had been a member of 16 platoon for quite a period of time
and was one of the most popular men. The second letter arrived in mid - July 1944 and was from Chaplain Seaborn who said that during the counter attack on June 8-9th Private McKenzie fell with the leading Company that had distinguished itself. He further writes that Private McKenzie was one of the most soldierly men in the Battalion and was a very positive influence on the younger men around him and that he also set an example for bravery and devotion to duty.   Alex was awarded the 1939-45 Star, the France-Germany Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal 1939-45 plus the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal + clasp.   Alex is honoured and remembered on both the Goderich and Lucknow - Ontario Cenotaphs.
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