John Frederick MacKay

Template:Short description {{#invoke:Other people|otherPeople}} Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox military person Lieutenant-Colonel John Frederick MacKay Template:Post-nominals (6 June 1873 – 9 January 1930) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Details

MacKay's Medal Group

Mackay's medals on display at the Gordon Highlanders Museum.

He was 26 years old, and a lance-corporal in the 1st Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders, British Army during the Second Boer War when the following deed took place at Crow's Nest Hill, Johannesburg, for which he was awarded the VC. Template:Quote

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Gordon Highlanders Museum, Aberdeen, Scotland along with his other medals.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Ribbon	Description	Notes
File:UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar.svg	Victoria Cross (VC)	1900
File:India Medal BAR.svg	India Medal	Clasps: Tirah 1897-98 and Punjab Frontier 1897–98.
File:Queen's South Africa Medal.png	Queen's South Africa Medal	Clasps: Belfast, Johannesburg, Driefontein, Paardeburg, Cape Colony
File:King's South Africa Medal.png	King's South Africa Medal	Clasps: South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902
File:Africa General Service Medal BAR.svg	Africa General Service Medal	Clasps: S. Nigeria 1905–06, S. Nigeria 1904-05 and S. Nigeria 1904
File:Ribbon - 1914 Star.png	1914–15 Star
File:Ribbon - British War Medal.png	British War Medal
File:Ribbon - Victory Medal.png	Victory Medal

Further service

Mackay was commissioned into the King's Own Scottish Borderers as a second lieutenant on 27 July 1901, while still in South Africa. Following the end of the Second Boer War in June 1902, he left Durban for England on the SS Nubia in August 1902.<ref>Template:Cite newspaper The Times</ref> One year later, he was promoted to acting lieutenant while serving with the West African Frontier Force (WAFF). This rank was confirmed in 1905.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> He transferred to the Hampshire Regiment as a captain in 1907 and then to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in 1908, still attached to the WAFF. He served with the Argylls for the rest of his career, although attached to other regiments. From November 1908 to 1912 he served as adjutant of the 7th (Volunteer) Battalion, Royal Scots. In November 1914 he became adjutant of the Indian Volunteers, but later moved to the 21st Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (2nd Tyneside Scottish). In 1915 he was promoted major. In August 1916 he was promoted lieutenant-colonel commanding a battalion of the Highland Light Infantry. He retired in 1921.

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)
• Victoria Crosses of the Anglo-Boer War (Ian Uys, 2000)

External links

• angloboerwar.com
• Tyneside Scottish