First World War Medal Trio – Corporal (Act. Sgt.) Archibald Paterson Mackenzie, 1st Bn. Seaforth Highlanders – K.I.A. Mesopotamia 1916
1914-15 Star – S-5368 PTE. A. P. MACKENZIE. SEA:HIGHRS
British War Medal – S-5368 CPL. A. MACKENZIE. SEA. HIGHRS.
Victory Medal – S-5368 CPL. A. MACKENZIE. SEA. HIGHRS.
Corporal Archibald Paterson Mackenzie was born in April 1889 at Bootle, Lancashire, the son of James Brayson Mackenzie and Margaret Fraser Mackenzie, of “Belmaduthy”, St Alban’s Road, Bootle, Liverpool.
Educated first at Bedford Road School and later at the Liverpool Institute, he was apprenticed in engineering with Messrs David Rollo & Sons, and at the outbreak of war was filling an important position in the firm’s drawing office.
He enlisted in August 1914, joining the famous Seaforth Highlanders alongside his elder brother. After training at Fort George and Cromarty, both brothers proceeded to France in January 1915, being drafted into the 1st Battalion (the old 72nd, the original Mackenzie Highlanders) and, somewhat remarkably, into “A” Company — the same company in which their great grand-uncle had served in the early days of the previous century.
The two brothers came safely through the fighting at Neuve Chapelle, but tragedy struck on 9 May 1915 during the charge at Richebourg l’Avoué, where the battalion suffered heavily, parading the following day only 370 men and five officers out of over 1,000. Archibald’s elder brother was killed in that action.
According to contemporary newspaper accounts, Archie returned to the firing line that same night, at great personal risk, recovered his brother’s body, and buried him with his own hands. He thereafter continued to serve through all the heavy fighting in which the Seaforths were engaged up to the time of their departure from France.
By early 1916 the battalion was serving in the Asiatic Theatre, and on the night of Sunday, 13th February 1916, Sergeant (acting) A. P. Mackenzie was in charge of a patrol covering a digging party in front of the position when they came into close contact with a Turkish patrol. A sharp encounter followed with an exchange of heavy fire.
The Chaplain of the Seaforth Highlanders later wrote that Mackenzie behaved with great coolness and courage, but was shot through the body and mortally wounded. He expired a few minutes after being carried back to the first trench. He was buried the following evening in a small cemetery behind the position, the Chaplain conducting the service over his grave.
He was 28 years of age and is commemorated on the Basra Memorial (Panels 37 & 64).
Local papers recorded that his regiment and company mourned the loss of a fine young soldier and true comrade, always ready to perform any task allotted to him bravely and unflinchingly. The sympathy of all Bootle people and many old Ross-shire friends was extended to his parents in what was described as their “second sorrow.”
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