MAJOR G.E. MACKAY, ROYAL HIGHLANDERS (BLACK WATCH), SCHOOL OF MUSKETRY AND MACHINE GUN COR
£1,775.00
MAJOR G.E. MACKAY, ROYAL HIGHLANDERS (BLACK WATCH), SCHOOL OF MUSKETRY AND MACHINE GUN CORPS. Five: Military Cross, George V (unnamed, as issued) Queen’s South Africa Medal, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (officially named, impressed in plain block capitals: 5748 CORPL: G.E. McKAY. RL: HIGHRS:) British War Medal (officially named, impressed in plain block capitals: MAJOR G.E. MCKAY) Victory Medal (naming erased, a replacement for the lost original medal) Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, George V, type A, Field Marshal’s uniform, swivel suspender (issue of 1911-20) (officially named, impressed in plain block capitals: 638 Q.M. SJT: INSTR: G. MACKAY. S. OF M.). Note different spelling of surname on LSGC Medal. Silver medals with an attractive matching old dark tone, generally Good Very Fine and better.
Group accompanied by biographical details, extracts from Army Lists of the period, copied Medal Index Card and WW1 medal roll (both of which confirm entitlement to British War and Victory Medals only and not entitled to either of the Stars), London Gazette extract re award of the Military Cross, copied extracts QSA Medal roll (confirming medal and clasps), and Long Service & Good Conduct Medal roll (confirming LSGC Medal).
The biographical sketch for George Evander MacKay (circa 1879-1949) on Ancestry records him as having been born in Thurso, Caithness, Scotland in 1879. However, his service record in the 1917 Quarterly Army List, gives his date of birth as 6/9/1876. Mackay is recorded in the 1891 census as being a 12 year old scholar living with his 48 year old widowed mother Euphemia MacKay, a dressmaker, in Edinburgh.
Mackay (surname also spelt McKay and Mackey in some records) enlisted into the Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) circa October 1894 and saw service with the 2nd Battalion Royal Highlanders as 5748 Corporal during the Boer War. Mackay subsequently saw service as 638 Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor with the School of Musketry, prior to being commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, Royal Highlanders, 13/3/1915, after 20 years and 158 days in the ranks. Mackay was Assistant Instructor, Machine Gun Corps Training Centre, 1/11/1915 to 29/1/1917 (promoted Lieutenant, 2/3/1916) and Assistant Instructor, Machine Gun Corps, from 20/8/1917, with the rank of Acting Captain (Captain, 1/12/1917) and was promoted Major, 18/4/191. Major Mackay transferred to the Reserve of Officers on 5/5/1920 with the rank of Major.
During WW1 Mackay saw service in France with the Machine Gun Corps, entering that theatre of operations on 31/12/1916.
Mackay’s Long Service Medal, with Gratuity, whilst serving as 638 Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor, School of Musketry, was announced in Army Orders of April 1913.
Major Mackay’s Military Cross, Royal Highlanders attached Machine Gun Corps, was announced in the London Gazette of 18/7/1917 “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He commanded a machine gun section with great skill and determination. Attacking a battalion of the enemy, he inflicted severe losses, thereby assisting our infantry to hold on to their position. He displayed marked ability throughout.”
In the initial London Gazette announcement of the award of Mackay’s Military Cross, his name was given incorrectly as George “Edward” “Mackey”. This error was corrected in the London Gazette of 18/1/1918.