Greatcoat Display

**birkie** · 05-08-2019, 06:19 PM

This greatcoat has been lurking behind my desk for a while and belonged to Fred MacKenzie, service #148127 of Altamont Manitoba. Enlisted August 6, 1915 and served with the 8th Battalion, Little Black Devils Winnipeg. An accidental injury occurred on April 30, 1917 where Fred sustained shrapnel wounds to his face and hands. According to the investigation at the time a fire was lit in the vicinity of the Douai Tunnel near Vimy Ridge. Unknowingly an unexploded Mills bomb detonated under the fire injuring MacKenzie and several others.
On April 8, 1918 he was diagnosed with Chicken pox.
On April 29, 1918 he sustained gunshot wounds to his right arm and chest and was subsequently discharged and shipped home. Seems April was not Fred's lucky month although he survived the war.
The helmet on this display belonged to Edward Patey of the 3 rd Battalion. Edward sustained a gunshot wound to his left arm on Sept. 8, 1918, survived the war and died in the 1970's in Mississauga Ontario.
The gasmask is a british/Canadian issue with a bronze coloured canister and flapper guard.
thanks for looking,
Cheers

**douglas2496** · 05-08-2019, 06:28 PM

Very nice. British and Commonwealth WW1 items are increasingly rare and expensive. Greatcoats and respirators are very hard to find in good condition. Its especially good to get items with names and history. Nice display.

**tubist73** · 09-01-2019, 11:12 PM

That's a very eerie and atmospheric figure you have in the corner. And nice to have some information about the original owners. Would it be possible to see some more detailed shots of the greatcoat? It looks to be a British-made example with the shoulder straps, rather than the Canadian type without. I assume Fred may have been issued this when he arrived in the UK or France?

Matthew

**birkie** · 09-03-2019, 02:46 AM

Thanks Matthew, probably picked up the coat in the UK, perhaps just prior to coming home. There is normal wear but nothing to suggest that the coat saw extreme usage in the trenches. The coat has leather "football" buttons rather than the more common brass buttons.

Cheers