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William MacKenzie was enlisted into The Black Watch during World War II and volunteered for Airborne Forces.He qualified as a military parachutist on Course B150 which ran at RAF Ringway from 24 January to 8 February 1945 and subsequently served with the 12th (Yorks) Parachute Battalion.

He deployed with the 12th Battalion on operations to Germany (Rhine Crossing and the Advance to the Baltic),the Far East and Palestine.

Service History

Operations

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Palestine
Arab intransigence over the surge of Jewish immigration that followed the Holocaust in Europe led to the forming of extreme d...

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Advance to the Baltic
The airborne soldiers were well suited to exploit the fluid situation that occurred following the collapse of the Rhine barri...

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Far East
The 5th Parachute Brigade was sent to the Far East in preparation for a potential invasion of Japan. However, only the advanc...

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Rhine Crossing (Operation Varsity)
Operation Varsity was the largest single airborne operation in history. On a single day, over 16,000 men were inserted by gli...

Decorations

France and Germany Star
France and Germany Star
1945
1939-45 Star
1939-45 Star
1945
General Service Medal (to 1962) Clasp
General Service Medal (to 1962) Clasp
1946
General Service Medal (to 1962) Clasp
General Service Medal (to 1962) Clasp
1948
1939-45 War Medal
1939-45 War Medal
1945
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