Hugh McKenzie (VC)

Hugh McDonald McKenzie (5 December 1885 – 30 October 1917) was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Details
McKenzie was born in Inverness, Scotland and emigrated to Canada

He enlisted in Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry as a private soldier in August 1914. McKenzie rose to become a company sergeant-major, and in January 1917 was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He received the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Croix de Guerre from the French government before he transferred from the PPCLI to the Canadian Machine Gun Corps.

He was 31 years old, and a lieutenant in the 7th Company, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 30 October 1917 at the Meetscheele Spur, near Passchendaele, Belgium, Lieutenant McKenzie was in charge of a section of four machine guns accompanying the infantry in an attack. Seeing that all the officers and most of the NCOs of an infantry company had become casualties and that the men were hesitating before a nest of enemy machine-guns, the lieutenant handed over his command to an NCO, rallied the infantry, organised an attack and captured the strong-point. He then led a frontal attack on a pill-box which was causing casualties. The pill-box was captured but he was killed.

Hugh McKenzie also received the French Croix de Guerre for his actions. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate.

The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Museum of the Regiments in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.