author
Clutha N. (Clutha Nantes) Mackenzie
1895–1966
Blinded at Gallipoli as a young soldier, he went on to become one of New Zealand’s best-known advocates for blind people. His life joined public service, politics, and determined work to improve opportunities for others with vision loss.
1 Audiobook
The Tale of a Trooper
by Clutha N. (Clutha Nantes) Mackenzie
About the author
Born in Balclutha, New Zealand, on 11 February 1895, Clutha Nantes Mackenzie was the son of Thomas Mackenzie, who later served briefly as prime minister. During the First World War he served with New Zealand forces and was blinded at Gallipoli in 1915, an experience that shaped the rest of his life.
After the war, he became a leading worker for the blind in New Zealand and abroad. He helped build services and opportunities for blind people, wrote and spoke widely on the subject, and was closely associated with organizations supporting rehabilitation and independence. He was also active in public life, serving briefly as a member of Parliament for Auckland East in the early 1920s.
Mackenzie was knighted for his public service and remained an important figure in advocacy for blind people for decades. He died in Auckland on 30 March 1966, remembered not only as a politician and author, but as someone who turned a severe personal loss into a lifelong commitment to others.