In 1896, he travelled to South Africa and met up with "a group of young adventurers from his home town", calling themselves the Ballarat Boys.

His unit proceeded to Mafeking on foot and took part in several engagements, culminating in the Battle of Umlugulu Mountain.

[1] McKissock was an unsuccessful Labor candidate at the 1907 state election, running in the seat of Ballarat West.

He was defeated at the 1911 election after a single term and subsequently joined the staff of the Evening Echo, the ALP's newspaper in Ballarat.

He was not a regular speaker in parliament, but as an anti-conscriptionist "vigorously attacked the concept of conscription and the Military Service Referendum Bill, both of which he held to be essentially undemocratic".