Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Brigadier-General Gerald Mackay MacKenzie, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Coronation 1911, unnamed; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1902 (Lt. Col., 1/Rl. Innis. Fus.) ‘Natal’ a copy clasp; British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oakleaf (Brig. Gen.); together with a mounted pair of miniature dress medals as first two above, miniature Coronation with edge bruise; full-size nearly extremely fine (6) £600-800

M.I.D. London Gazette 29 July 1902; 4 January 1917.
Russia, Order of St. Stanislaus, 1st Class with swords London Gazette 14 January 1918 ‘Colonel (temporary Brigadier-General)’.

Gerald Mackay MacKenzie was born on 6 June 1860. He was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the 108th Regiment on 13 August 1879 and was advanced to Lieutenant in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in July 1881, Captain in February 1888 and Major in April 1899. He was seconded to the Commissariat and Transport Staff, October 1886-December 1888. Serving in the Second Boer War during 1900 and 1902, he participated in operations in Natal, March-June 1900 and was in command of the 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 15 March-21 April 1900. He was then in command of the 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 9 April-31 May 1902, taking part in operations in Transvaal and the Orange River Colony, February-May 1902. For his services he received the Queen’s medal with four clasps and was mentioned in Kitchener’s despatches of 23 June 1902. MacKenzie was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in December 1902 and received the Brevet of Colonel in November 1905. Brevet Colonel MacKenzie was placed on Retired Pay in November 1906. In 1909, still on Retired Pay, he was placed in command of a Territorial Brigade. On 10 February 1913 he was appointed to the command of the 3rd Battalion Jersey Light Infantry. Brevet Colonel MacKenzie of the General Reserve of Officers, was promoted to the rank of Colonel in February 1914 and was appointed a Temporary Brigadier-General in January 1915.

In command of the 104th Infantry Brigade, part of the 35th Division (under General Pinney), he embarked for France in January 1916. Under his command at this time was a certain Brigade-Major Bernard Law Montgomery, D.S.O. On 29 January Brigadier-General MacKenzie wrote to Bernard’s father -

‘ .... With regard to your son Bernard, I have the highest opinion of him. He is equally good at Administration as at Training the Troops. He ought to have a brilliant future in the Army, and rise to high rank. Be my stay with this Brigade long or short, I shall not fail, before I leave it, to bring his admirable services to the notice of the authorities, and to do all I can to further his advancement with them. He has taken a great deal of routine work and drudgery off my hands, doing the work in a quiet unobtrusive way. It is, of course, his job, you may say, but it is not every Staff Officer that I have met, nor many, who have been so thorough and helpful in the work. General Pinney too knows his work and worth, and I am sure will look after his future interests ...’

Brigadier-General MacKenzie’s tenure with the 104th Brigade proved to be short and he returned to England in April 1916. In August 1916 he was gazetted for attachment to Head Quarters. For his wartime services he was mentioned in Haig’s despatches of 13 November 1916 and was awarded the Russian Order of St. Stanislaus, 1st Class with swords. He was also awarded the Silver War Badge, awarded to him in November 1918 as Brigadier-General of the 5th Training Reserve Brigade.

With a file of copied research, including copied m.i.c., roll and gazette extracts.