James MacKenzie (VC)

Crossing the open ground, he brought a wounded soldier back.

James MacKenzie was born on 2 April 1884 at West Glen, New Abbey, in Kirkcudbrightshire. His father was a stonemason. He attended Laurieknowe Public School at Maxwelltown and worked on farms and with his grandfather before taking employment as a joiner and later a groom.

He enlisted in the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards, at Dumfries in February 1912. Training at Caterham was followed by regular service before the outbreak of the First World War. He went to France with the battalion in October 1914 and joined the British Expeditionary Force during the opening months of the conflict.

On 19 December 1914, at Rouges Bancs, a wounded soldier lay in front of the German trenches. A stretcher-bearing party had already been driven back by enemy fire. MacKenzie went out over the exposed ground and brought the man in, accepting the danger that had prevented the earlier attempt.

Later that day he undertook another act of conspicuous gallantry and was killed. His Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously for the rescue. He remained a private throughout his service and was 30 when he died.

MacKenzie has no known grave. His name is recorded on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium and on memorials in the Dumfries area, including the family grave at Troqueer and his school roll of honour. His mother received the cross after his death. His campaign awards were the 1914 Star with clasp, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Official Victoria Cross citation

For conspicuous bravery at Rouges Bancs on the 19th December, in rescuing a severely wounded man from in front of the German trenches, under a very heavy fire and after a stretcher-bearer party had been compelled to abandon the attempt. Private Mackenzie was subsequently killed on that day whilst in the performance of a similar act of gallant conduct.

Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette of 16 February 1915. 18 February 1915, Numb. 29074, p. 1700