Son of Archibald and Mabel McKenzie, of Hillbrow, Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa. Student of Aberdeen Grammar School. He passed into the R.A.F. College, Cranwell, in November 1937, being eleventh out of a large number of candidates competing for twenty-two vacancies. He commenced his two-year course as a Cadet in January 1938, and was gazetted Pilot Officer in October 1939. He was on patrol duty in various areas in this country until April 1940, when his squadron was sent to Norway. He took part with the Gladiator squadron in the well-known action when it operated from a frozen lake, and returned in May after many adventures and with great difficulty. Thereafter he was with a Hurricane squadron in offensive and defensive patrols over Occupied France and the English Channel. "One of the few" Battle of Britain pilot