Sydney Keith McKessar

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Wed, 23/09/2015 - 13:04

First Name:

Sydney

Middle Name:

Keith

Last Name:

McKessar

Mother's Name:

Maria McKessar (nee Milne)

Father's Name:

Alexander McKessar

Date Enlisted:

Thursday, May 11, 1916

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Private

Unit:

33rd Battalion

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Tuesday, June 5, 1917

Place of Death:

Belgium

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Details:

Sydney McKessar (Service No 2615) was born in Bulli, N.S.W. in 1896.

Sydney enlisted at the age of 20. He was married and worked as a grocer. Sydney had previously served in 37th infantry Militia.

Sydney married Jessica Delaney in 1916, around the same time he enlisted, as his file notes an ex-nuptial child.

Sydney spent time as an acting Sergeant in Australia while training and carried that rank to England. He embarked from Sydney on board SS Port Napier with 5th Reinforcements, 33rd Battalion on 17th November 1916 and the troops arrived in England on 29th January 1917.

On 22nd April 1917 Sydney reverted to Private and he joined his unit in France on 28th April. A few days later he had a short stay in hospital sick, but returned to his unit on 16th May 1917.

On 5th June 1917 Sydney was killed while engaged in battle.

Sydney is buried in Strand Military Cemetery, Ploegsteert, Belgium: Plot IV, Row D, Grave 1 in Ploegsteert Belgium.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, MCKESSAR S K