Medals to The Gordon Highlanders and Associated Units from the Collection of A.J. Henderson

Six: Major R. MacKenzie, Cape Town Highlanders

1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals; Africa Service Medal, all but the third officially inscribed ‘14661 R. MacKenzie’, contact marks, generally very fine or better (6) £80-100

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals to The Gordon Highlanders and Associated Units from the Collection of A.J. Henderson.

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Robert MacKenzie, who was born in October 1915, joined the Cape Town Highlanders before the War, being appointed a Cadet Officer in ‘A’ Company in August 1936 and advanced to Captain in the Summer of 1939.

Given command of ‘C’ Company in December 1940, he was embarked at Durban for Port Tewfik in February 1941, returning to Durban as escort to a large number of Italian P.O.Ws in the S.S. Duchess of Richmond in the following month. His Company was then re-embarked for the Middle East and arrived at Suez in June.

The Cape Town Highlanders were subsequently posted to 2nd Brigade of the 1st South African Division and MacKenzie continued to act as O.C. of ‘C’ Company. On 6 June 1942, the Division received orders to send out three columns to occupy a line some two to six miles in front of their present position, and ‘C’ Company, under MacKenzie, moved out through a gap in a minefield and led the advance to Point 176. The attack was, however, met with heavy counter fire and eventually the column was forced to retire back through the minefield, after suffering heavy losses. Then on 15 June 1942, during an assault on the perimeter of Tobruk, MacKenzie was wounded by shrapnel in the right calf and, although this was not of a serious nature, he remained in hospital until 24 July.

On 23 October 1942, MacKenzie, now restored to the command of ‘C’ Company, led the advance of the Battalion in the momentous Battle of El Alamein. During a lull, early in the battle however, he was shot by a German sniper, who had avoided detection during the advance, the bullet fracturing his right forearm, which necessitated his being evacuated from the Field. He was sent back to South Africa on the troopship Amra, leaving Suez on the 6 January 1943, and disembarking at Durban on the 22nd of the month.

On 7 May 1943, he returned to his unit, which had now also returned to South Africa, where it remained until October 1943. On the 2nd of that month it disembarked at Suez and marched to the camp of the First City Regiment, with whom they were to form an amalgamated Battalion, which was to be sent to the 12th Motorised Brigade of the newly created 6th South African Armoured Division. After a period of training as a motorised unit in Egypt, the Battalion was sent to Italy and arrived at Taranto in March 1944. MacKenzie stayed with the Battalion as an Acting Company Commander, latterly of ‘A’ Company, until he returned home by air in September 1945. He was finally demobilised a month later.

MacKenzie’ s wartime exploits receive extensive mention in Neil Orpen’s The Cape Town Highlanders 1885-1970.