Farrier Sgt Neil McKenzie 300101 RGA

[Jock]

I am in need of some help in finding out a bit more on my GG Uncle. Farrier Sgt Neil McKenzie 300101 RGA. He was from Campbeltown, Argyll, Scotland

I have his MIC and that is about all I can find. Have searched NA & Ancestry

Have had a good read though the LLT as well

Jock

[jay dubaya]

Jock,

the service number was part of a TF number block allocated to the 4th Mountain Brigade RGA late 1916 - early 1917. The Argyll Battery was the senior battery within the brigade along with batteries from Ross and Cromity and the 1/1st Bute Battery, all were army troops with the EEF March - September 1916 when they became the 4th Mountain Artillery Brigade in Salonika January 1917 - May 1918. War diaries can be found in WO95/4308 and WO95/4800. Some good reading here regarding the Bute Battery.

Jon

[Jock]

jay dubaya

Thank you for that information. I'll see if I can get a look at the war diaries

[kevinrowlinson]

Jock,

You should have two MICs for him, one for 300101 and one for 363 showing his 1914/15 Medal. This number would indicate he embodied around 21st October 1912. I suspect this batch of numbers covers the signallers and artificers for the Brigade, although I haven't as yet done enough research to confirm that. The date of entry on his MIC indicates he was at Gallipoli, leaving Devonport on the 17 March 1915, disembarked Alexandria 2nd April, embarked Alexandria 8th April and disembarked Gallipoli 25th April 1915. The war diary as suggested would give you some more info., and searching the forum will also give you a few previous threads about the 4th Highland Mountain Brigade.

Kevin

[Jock]

Kevin

Thanks very much for your information. I have been a bit hesitant to jump in and state things untill proven! Your information proves that what my father said about uncle Neil being at Gallipoli. As for the second MIC that is a bonus as I have been trying to work out if he was at Gallipoli, then why no Star info on his MIC. I was just about to go looking in the Gallipoli direction. All the information gives me a great lead into finding out more about his service

It was hard enough working out which Neil McKenzie who served in the RGA was my man as there are a couple with same name. Fortunately I have a photo of him in uniform which shows his right arm with farriers badge and Sgt stripes

Jock

[CSMMo]

Jock,

Researching the Batteries of the 4th Highland (Mountain) Brigade, RGA (TF) has occupied a lot of my time for the past 10 years or so. I have compiled a "Nominal Roll" for the Brigade and show an entry for "McKenzie, N.#363 Cpl Shoeing Smith - AMB" which I will now add to with his later rank and number. He was a shoeing smith, later farrier sergeant for the Argyll Mountain Battery, a Territorial Force unit which had elements in Oban and Campbeltown. There is some data and photos in the Oban War & Peace Museum as well as in the Bute Museum regarding the Battery. They have wonderful war memorials on the esplanade in Oban and in town center in Campbeltown. The mountain batteries were first gins ashore at Gallipoli with one section from the Argyll Battery and one section from the Ross & Cromarty Mountain Batteries landing right after the Lancashires at W beach and setting their guns up the cliff with the 1st Essex. Their ponies, used to transport the guns in pieces (the famous "screw guns" as written up by Kipling), were used as the only transport for the first three days, hauling ammunition, water and food to the beleaguered infantry. I wrote a small piece about it that was published a few years ago in "The Gallipolian" and in "Gunner". I'll be happy to make it available to you (along with any other information I have) if you contact me off line with an email address. My grandfather, commissioned while the brigade was at Gallipoli, served with the Argyll Mountain Battery in Salonika.

Mike Morrison