Name
Edward Forbes Mackenzie
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/12/1914
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Royal Scots
2nd Bn. (Lothian Regiment)
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 11.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Not on the Leavesden memorials
Pre War
Son of John Alexander Forbes Stewart and Mary Ann (nee BRIDGE) MACKENZIE; husband of Louisa Catherine (nee FINN) MACKENZIE.
His parents married 8 June 1881 at St Luke’s, Hackney, London. John died 1923 in Watford aged 64, and was buried 16 August in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Mary died 22 October 1937 in Edgware, Middx, aged 75.
Edward was born 1887 in Leavesden, and baptised 14 August 1887 at All Saints, Leavesden. He married 13 May 1912 at the Cathedral Church of St Paul, Valetta, Malta; they had two children.
On the 1891 Census, a scholar aged 4 he lived in Abbot’s Langley, Herts, with his parents and one sibling. On the 1901 Census, aged 13 he lived in Leavesden Green, with his mother and no siblings in the household of his grandparents. On the 1911 Census, a Lance-Sergeant in the 2nd Battalion Scottish Rifles aged 23, he was stationed in East Liss, Hants.
He was originally attested 28 January 1903 at Watford for six years in the 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment: a photographer, 17y9m, 5’5½” tall; born Leavesden, Herts, next-of-kin his father of Watford. He was discharged 9 February 1903 – under age.
He attested again 23 October 1903 in Guildford, Surrey, for 3 years with the Colours, 9 years in the Reserves in the Scottish Rifles, no. 8771: a bookmaker’s assistant aged 18, 5’6½” tall, C of E, next-of-kin his father of Watford.
He was appointed Lance-Corporal 12 December 1905, promoted to Corporal 29 February 1908, appointed Lance-Sergeant 14 December 1910, promoted to Sergeant 13 July 1911, and commissioned 2nd Lieutenant to the 3rd Battalion Royal Scots 9 October 1914.
He re-engaged 8 October 1913 to complete 21 years service.
He served at Home 23 October 1903 to 7 September 1911, in Malta 8 September 1911 to 24 September 1914.
Wartime Service
Already in the army his was in Malta at the commencement of war before going to France from 4 November 1914.
He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals, but no qualifying date is given; Mrs L C MACKENZIE made application for the 1914 Star medal in respect of the services of her late husband. He was reported missing and presumed killed in action during the attack at Le Petit Bois, Kemmel, and was buried at Wytscheate.
Additional Information
There is an article about Edward in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 17 October 1914.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
