The AIF Project

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Gallipoli, 5 April 1915

Wounded in action, 5 August 1915; rejoined Bn, 8 August 1915 (no further details recorded).

Appointed Acting Company Sergeant Major, 13 August 1915; Company Sergeant Major, 20 November 1915.

Disembarked Alexandria, 7 January 1916 (general Gallipoli evacuation).

Admitted to No 2 Field Ambulance, Tel el Kebir, 20 January 1916 (pyrexia); transferred to No 2 Casualty Clearing Station, 22 January 1916, and then to No 2 Australian General Hospital, 22 January 1916 (influenza); to British Red Cross Convalescent Hospital, Montazah, 26 January 1916 (laryngitis); discharged to Agricultural Hall (Class A), 5 February 1916; rejoined 8th Bn, 21 February 1916.

Transferred to, and taken on strength of, 60th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 24 February 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Reported Missing, 19 July 1916.

Now, 29 June 1917, decalred 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'.

Statement, Red Cross File No 1940107, 2830 Pte J. CAIN, 60th Bn, 7 December 1916: 'McKinnon was C-S-M. of D. Co. He was seen to be hit twice, by men of his Company. After the second hit he rose up and said "A blanket or a V.C." and a shell blew him to pieces.'

Second statement, 3238 Pte J. BIRCH, 60th Bn (patient, No 5 General Hospital, Rouen), 6 March 1917: 'C-S-M. McKinnon was in the attack at Fromelles on the 19th July. He was wounded in the arm but refused to go to the Dressing Station and called out "a V.C. or the blanket for me". He continued to advance and had not gone very far before he was killed. He was too [underlined] game, always the same. He had served in the Boer War.'

Third statement, 3182 Corporal W. MITCHELL, D Company, 60th Bn, 14 March 1917: 'He was in D. Coy. At Fleurbaix on July 19th. I was wounded, and lying within a few yards of the German wires. I saw McKinnon lying about 12 yards from me with hte left leg off just about at the knee. We exchanged greetings. I asked how he was , and he said "Oh, I'm all right. Mitch - they've got me in the leg - I don't think it is much". I did not tell him his leg was off. I asked could he crawl and he said he thought so. I told him that, after helping a wounded officer near, I would return, and we would try to get back together. When I returned, I found only his head, arm and upper chest.'