Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Michael Ganey, Montbrehain Centenary.

MacKay, Alan Brownell. Service Number 318.

Alan MacKay was born in Melbourne to George and Frances MacKay in 1889. He listed himself as a 26 year-old station hand from Kooyong when he enlisted in Melbourne on the 1st of March 1915. He was assigned to the 13th Light Horse Regiment. 

Alan’s younger brother, Colin Leslie MacKay was a 22 year-old clerk from Melbourne, and he also enlisted 18 days later at Broadmeadows to be with his older brother. He also joined the 13th Light Horse.

Both brothers embarked at Melbourne on the HMAT A37 Barambah on the 28/5/1915 and when they arrived in Egypt, both were assigned to deport duties in Alexandria. Colin’s records show that he was taken on strength at Gallipoli on the 15th of November 1915. It can be assumed that Alan also went to Gallipoli with him. 

After the Gallipoli evacuation, together they transferred to the 1st Australian and New Zealand Mounted Regiment in May 1916. Their time with this unit was a bit of a contrast. Alan found himself on various charges for a range of minor offences, whilst in 1917, younger brother Colin, won a Military Medal. 

On the 24th of July 1918, they both transferred to the infantry and joined the 24th Battalion and six weeks later both fought at Mont St. Quentin. On the 1st of September, Alan and Colin began the assault at Mont St. Quentin together. Colin was assigned as a runner and the two quickly became separated. Alan continued his duties as a stretcher-bearer. Colin was killed at the foot of Mount Saint Quentin at about 2.30 pm on the 1st of September. After the battle Alan later recorded that he did not find Colin Colin’s body until the 3rd of September. Colin recorded this in a letter he sent home.

‘…After some time I could not find him. I went in search of him and found the dear chap as I have told you. I kissed him a loving farewell for all those who loved him and with my own hands tenderly laid him to rest…’

Colin had been recording events since January 1918 in a small diary. Alan recovered his diary and now Alan continued to record things in this diary. On September 3rd, Colin simply wrote in the diary, ‘found Col in the morning and buried him that afternoon.’ He then recorded that he finished the grave the next day and on the 15th of September he recorded that he ‘drove over to Mt. St. Quentin and erected Col Cross.’

Alan stayed with the Battalion and took part in the assault on Mountrehain on the 5th of October. He was killed in action on this day and he was buried 500 yards North of the village.

A friend of Alan’s, Jack Gibson, later described what happened to Alan in a letter written home.

 ‘While he was lying on the jumping off tape, Alan remarked, “I don’t like it – something is going to happen.” He had the feeling that he was going to get the same as Col, and he did after getting through most of the shellfire. He got into a trench and was bandaging a wounded man. He told the other bearer to keep his head down and he kept his own down too; he then turned to say something and showed his head above the ground and got a bullet clean through it. Death was instantaneous.’

Colin’s diary was collected from Alan’s body and someone unknown simply recorded on the 5th October; - ‘Alan killed by sniper’s bullet.’

George and Frances MacKay had now lost both of their son’s. 

His death was reported in the Argus newspaper on the 25th October 1918.

MACKAY. – Private Alan Brownell Mackay is officially reported killed on action on October 5. He is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. G. S. Mackay, “Mirma’, 10 Glen street, Glenferrie, and brother of the late Private Colin Leslie Mackay, M.M., also killed in action on September 1. Both brothers have been on active service for over three and a half years.

Their grief would have been considerable and the army did not help this after the war. In May 1926, the army wrote to George and Frances to let them know that their inscription request for the headstone for Alan had been received, but they could not find the inscription request for Colin and “could they please resend it without delay”. The letter then went on to remind them on the limitations on the number of letters that could be used on the inscriptions. 

It seems a pity that these brothers who remained together during the war were buried in separate isolated graves. It is an even bigger pity that when both were exhumed from their isolated graves, that they were not interred together. Colin lies in the Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension, and Alan lies in the Calvaire British Cemetery, which are some 30 kilometres apart.

Private Alan Mackay lies in the Calvaire Cemetery in plot A. 5. His father chose the epitaph for his headstone.

Dearly loved eldest son of

G & F MacKay of Glenferrie, Hawthorn.