Keith Ferguson “Paddy” McLauchlan

Captain · NZ #2257 · R1 Patrol · MM

What this roll records

HIS BROTHER, AND THE SOURCE OF THE ERROR. Until August 2026 this card carried the forename “Graham MacKenzie”, a death on 23 November 1941 at the age of 37, a burial at Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma (6.D.15), and the trade of chemist’s assistant. Those belong to GRAHAM MacKENZIE “MACK” McLAUCHLAN, service number NZ #37745 — a Private of 25 Infantry Battalion, not of the LRDG — who was killed on active service in the Western Desert on 23 November 1941 and lies at Knightsbridge War Cemetery, grave 6.D.15. The Auckland War Memorial Museum records the family plainly: “Three sons, brothers served in WW2: Graham MacKenzie McLauchlan (37745) kia; Keith Ferguson McLauchlan (2257) and Paul George McLauchlan (10460)”. They were the sons of Ewen MacKenzie McLauchlan and Susanna McLauchlan of 86 Clyde Street, Invercargill. A birth in June 1912 and a death aged 37 in November 1941 cannot belong to one man, which is what first gave the merge away. Graham is not carried on this roll, because there is no evidence he served with the LRDG; he is recorded here so that his brother’s entry is not mistaken for his. Sources: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph, record C29551; Commonwealth War Graves Commission casualty 2162765.

Patrol R1 officer (Lieut. K.F. "Paddy" McLauchlan). Brendan O'Carroll, "R Patrol, Long Range Desert Group" (R Patrol Truck Names and Officers appendix).

PATROL COMMANDER of R1 per W.B. Kennedy Shaw, "Long Range Desert Group", Appendix 4 Patrol Commanders.

Cenotaph record linked. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph.

Honours added from LRDG Honours & Awards list (Middle East 1940–43): MM. Source: W.B. Kennedy-Shaw, “Long Range Desert Group” (original honours & awards list, comp. D. Buxton).

Took command of R1 patrol after Captain Browne was injured by a mine (22 December 1942), continuing the reconnaissance beyond Wadi Tamet until the patrol was ambushed by German armoured cars on the Gheddahia–Bu Ngem track, 27 December 1942, when the wireless truck was lost but the rest of the patrol evaded the enemy. Source: ‘The Eighth Army Advance / Reconnaissance in Tunisia’, Episodes & Studies Vol. 1 (NZ official war history).

Civil engineer, of Wellington; born Invercargill, 20 Jun 1912. MM, m.i.d. Patrol commander LRDG. Source: Episodes & Studies Vol. 1 (biographical notes).

This record was corrected in August 2026. It had carried the name, service number, death and burial of a different man — see the note below. The man of this roll is KEITH FERGUSON “PADDY” McLAUCHLAN, service number NZ #2257: a civil engineer of Wellington, born 20 June 1912 in Southland, who embarked as a Sapper with 6 Field Company, New Zealand Engineers, commanded R1 Patrol of the LRDG, was awarded the Military Medal announced on 30 December 1941, and was Mentioned in Despatches. He survived the war and died in 1975, aged 63. The recommendation for his Military Medal is at The National Archives, Kew, reference WO 373/27/479, catalogued as “McLauchlan, Keith Ferguson”. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph, record C34953; The National Archives Discovery catalogue; Episodes & Studies Vol. 1 (biographical notes).

A connection between two men of this roll. In 1943 Keith McLauchlan wrote to the mother of one of his own men, Trooper Richard David “Danny” Hayes (NZ #17526), telling her of his brother Graham’s death. The letter was kept by the Hayes family and is the source the Auckland War Memorial Museum cites for the account of Graham’s death. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph.

See him in the full roll →

Where this comes from

• AKA added from the LRDG Preservation Society’s Troopers roll (missing information).

In collaboration withThe Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) Preservation SocietyTo add information about this man, or note a correction, please post in the Society’s Facebook Group →

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Not By Strength But By Guile