Private John McKenzie
26018 East Lancashire Regiment
Killed in Action 12th February 1917, aged 21
Born in Burnley, lived at 8 Water Street, Blackburn
Buried in Maroc British Cemetery, France

Son of Edward and Sarah McKenzie, of Colne, Lancs.; husband of Mary Jane McKenzie, of 8, Water St., Blackburn

Born in Burnley in 1896, he then lived with his parents in Colne, married and lived in Blackburn.

(Courtesy of his Great Nephew Michael Dwyer)

Private John McKenzie (22) of the East Lancashire Regiment has been killed in action. He enlisted in that regiment on April 28 1916, and was drafted to the Front at the end of last July. Previous to joining the Colours he travelled with Mr. T. Mitchell round-about proprietor. He leaves a widow and two children, who live at 8 Water-street, Blackburn. In a letter to the widow, the Captain of Private McKenzie’s company says: “It is with great sorrow that I write to tell you of the death of your husband. His death was painless. A fragment of shell hit him in the head, rendering him unconscious and he died about a quarter of an hour later. It is a great loss to me to lose such a good soldier, one who has already done his duty like a man. I can give no higher praise to any man than that. And I have noticed the sorrow of the rest of his platoon. I can do nothing to help you in your loss except express my sympathy. It is surely better for a man to die out here doing his duty than live at home a shirker”

(Blackburn Times 3rd March 1917)