This April 25^th 2020 we may not be able to attend a Dawn Service, or wave a flag on a stick at a city parade, but we can still take time to remember the Anzac’s at home with our families.  I can’t think of a better way to do it than by learning about a humble and courageous Salvation Army Chaplain, William ‘Fighting Mac’ McKenzie.

What is an ANZAC?

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.  The soldiers in those forces became known as Anzacs.

Why ANZAC Day?

The Australian and New Zealand forces landed on Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Ottoman Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold stroke to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stalemate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915 the allied forces were evacuated from the peninsula, with both sides having suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. More than 8,000 Australian soldiers had died in the campaign. Gallipoli had a profound impact on Australians at home, and 25 April soon became the day on which Australians remembered the sacrifice of those who died in the war.  Although the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives, the actions of Australian and New Zealand forces during the campaign left a powerful legacy. What became known as the ‘Anzac legend’ became an important part of the identity of both nations, shaping the ways in which they viewed both their past and their future.  (Australian War Memorial)

The Story of William ‘Fighting Mac’ McKenzie

William ‘Fighting Mac’ McKenzie is an Australian WWI hero, yet little is ever said about this Salvation Army Military Chaplain, who served God and his fellow soldiers at Gallipoli.  There aren’t many photographs of Fighting Mac, so you’ll have to be creative with the visuals you make for this story but I’ve given suggestions.  It’s worth the effort so the children learn about the life of this humble, courageous Christian who demonstrated the love of God to thousands.  If your children are older you can simply read to them. 

 Visuals for PowerPoint,  flashcards, or homemade book:

Visual 1:           Anzac Day

Visual 2:           Photograph of William ‘Fighting Mac’ McKenzie

Visual 3:           Sugar cane farm/Salvation Army

Visual 4:           Salvo’s helping others.

Visual 5:           Australian soldiers in Egypt/boxing match

Visual 6:           Images of Australian soldiers in Gallipoli

Visual 7:           Trenches/Prayer/Bible

Visual 8:           Military Cross

Visual 9:           Jesus and people (healing, feeding, talking)

Words: 

Visual 1:           Who can tell me what is important about 25^th April?  Right, it’s Anzac Day.

Normally you would be learning about Anzac Day at school and  have a special parade to remember the Aussie diggers who fought so bravely in World War 1.

We honour our soldiers by remembering what they did for our country.

Visual 2:          So, I’d like to introduce you to an Anzac hero.  His name was ‘William ‘Fighting Mac’ McKenzie.  His nickname was ‘Fighting Mac’ because he loved to fight.

Visual 3:          William McKenzie was born in Scotland but his family migrated to Queensland where his father bought a sugar cane farm in Bundaberg.  William, the eldest of seven boys, worked on the farm.  He loved the outdoor life and when he was older he worked as a jackaroo and as a dairy farmer.   He was wild and adventurous and would often get into trouble. He would ride into town and get drunk and fight.

Visual 4:          But on the way home one night he stopped in at a Salvation Army meeting and gave his life to Jesus.   He trained to be a Salvation Army officer.  Fighting Mac still loved to fight, but instead of fighting men, he had different battles.  Being an officer in the Salvation Army meant giving up drinking and smoking.  It meant being sent to the roughest parts of a city and being abused and made fun of.  It meant fighting with the devil for the souls of men.  But McKenzie said, ‘Here’s the true religion for a fighting man.’

Visual 5:          On the outbreak of World War I, Fighting Mac signed up to become a military chaplain, and was shipped out to Egypt.  He was a big man with a big voice.  He preached on board the ship.  He arranged games and singing.  And he also organised boxing contests with the soldiers.  He had long arms, and able to deliver jarring upper cuts and left hooks that left soldiers dazed.  He wasn’t anything like the chaplains the soldiers had met before.  They soon gave him the name ‘Fighting Mac’.  He remained the unbeaten boxing champion throughout the war!  Fighting Mac did a lot of things that other chaplains didn’t do.  When his men had to train and go on marches, Fighting Mac went, too.  Where they went, he went.  He carried their packs when they got tired.

Visual 6:          At dawn on 25^th April, 1915, Fighting Mac landed on the shores of Gallipoli.  He lugged stretchers, rescued and tended the wounded, and comforted the dying and buried hundreds of men, even under shell and sniper fire.  After one burial service he found three bullet holes in his hat!  What stood out about Fighting Mac was the way he cared for his men.  He wrote letters to their families.  When he saw water carriers had trouble negotiating part of a track, he spent the night cutting a series of steps into the hill, to make it easier for them.  He would make hot drinks for the soldiers and run them up to the front line.  He even walked around Anzac Cove asking for donations of chocolate until he had enough for every one of his soldiers.

Visual 7:          Many chaplains were aloof but he spent time laughing with soldiers, encouraging them to talk.   He followed the men into combat (something chaplains did not have to do) and carried the wounded to safety.  On the worst day of the Gallipoli campaign, the men pleaded with Fighting Mac not to put his life in danger, but to stay in the safety of the trenches.  As a chaplain he was not supposed to be in the front lines and a number of times he was ordered to the rear.  But Fighting Mac said, ‘Boys I have lived with you, I’ve preached to you and I’ve prayed with you.  Do you think I’m now afraid to die with you?’

 Visual 8:          Fighting Mac was awarded the Military Cross for distinguished services in the field.  He was recommended for the Victoria Cross (the highest award for acts of bravery) three times, but the recommending officers were killed in action before they could file the papers.

Visual 9:          When William ‘Fighting Mac’ McKenzie came home to Australia, he was given a tremendous welcome home.  Seven thousand people filled the Melbourne Exhibition Hall to see him and thank him.  Hundreds of others were outside.  After the war he, with his wife Annie, became missionaries in North China.

Ministry to the Children:

As Christians we need to show the people around us the love of God.  It’s not always easy to do. But look what ‘Fighting Mac’ accomplished under the worst of circumstances.  His men saw the love of God through his actions.  Do the people around you see God in what you do?  Do you love them?  Jesus showed us how and we are to imitate Him.  The Holy Spirit will help us.  Let’s ask for His help to be an example right now.  Pray with the children.

When a friend gives up his life, he gives up all that he has.  Jesus gave up His life for us.  Although He was perfect in every way and had never done anything wrong, He died on the Cross in our place, so that we could be forgiven and live forever.  Today, if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe [entrust your life completely to Jesus] in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  (Romans 10:9)

A Memory Verse to Learn:  John 15:12-13

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

Do your kids have any plastic army soldiers in their toy box?   Number each one underneath its stand.  Each number corresponds with a word from the Memory Verse.  Write out and number each word of the Memory Verse, including the Bible reference.  Hide the toy soldiers around a room in your house.  Tell the children there are soldiers MIA and you need their help to locate them and bring them home!  When all the soldiers have been found, children swap them for the corresponding word.  Work together to assemble the verse in the correct order and say aloud together.

Play the Chocolate Game:

Australian soldiers were given ration packs which included foods like bully beef (tinned corned beef), rice, jam, tea, sugar, and hard tack biscuits (biscuits that could break teeth!)  Chocolate had to be bought and was a real treat.

 You Will Need:

• A block of milk chocolate
• A knife and fork for each child
• A die
• A cutting board for cutting the chocolate on
• An army dress up (hat, jacket, boots)

What to Do:

Sit in a circle around the table.  Place the unwrapped block of chocolate on the cutting board.  Each child rolls the die in turn.  When a child rolls a six, they shout ‘SIX!’ and run to the table.  The child has to put on the dress up, pick up their knife and fork and cutting one square at a time, eat as much chocolate as they can before another child rolls a six.  They must finish eating one square before working on another!  When another child rolls a six, the child at the table must stop immediately, put down their knife and fork, take off the dress up and hand it to the next child.

Craft:  Make a Medal

Create your own medal using shapes cut from cardboard.  Ask your children to decorate their shape.  Add a length of ribbon and a small safety pin.  They may like to present their medal to someone who has shown the love of Jesus.  If it’s for someone outside the family why not write a letter and send it with the medal in the mail.

Anzac Biscuits to Make!

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Total cooking time:  20 minutes

Makes approx. 25

 You will need:

1 cup plain flour

1 cup rolled oats

¾ cup desiccated coconut

¾ cup caster sugar

125g butter

1 tablespoon golden syrup

1 ½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

2 tablespoons boiling water

Method:

1. Preheat oven to slow 150° Brush 2 oven trays with melted butter or oil

(or use baking paper).

Place flour, oats, coconut and sugar in a large mixing bowl, stir until combined.

2. Combine butter and golden syrup in small pan, stir over high heat until melted.

Mix bicarb of soda with boiling water, add to melted butter and syrup.

Add to flour mixture, stir until combined.

3. Shape level tablespoonful of mixture into balls and flatten slightly;

place onto prepared trays, about 6cm apart.

4. Bake 15-20 minutes or until crisp and golden. Remove from oven, stand 2 minutes.

Loosen biscuits and cool on wire rack.

Anzac Day is one of Australia’s most important national days so it’s important to find ways to celebrate at home with your family.  Lest we forget.