MACKAY, John Edward
| Service Number: | 4000 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 September 1917, Horsham, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 5th Divisional Ammunition Column |
| Born: | Portland, Victoria, 21 January 1898 |
| Home Town: | Portland, Glenelg, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Natural causes (myocardial infarction), Melbourne, Victoria, 5 January 1964, aged 65 years |
| Cemetery: |
Fawkner Memorial Park Cemetery, Victoria C of E section, compartment T, grave 7479 (unmarked) |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Sep 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4000, 4th Light Horse Regiment, Horsham, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4000, 4th Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Dec 1917: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 4000, 4th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne | |
| 14 Mar 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Driver, 4000, 5th Divisional Ammunition Column |
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Jack was the youngest child of Alfred and Margaret (nee McKinlay). His mother Margaret died when he was only 6 years of age. Jack became a member of the Portland Naval Cadets and remaned a quiet yet diligent contributor for 4 years.
He joined the AIF on 12 Sep 1917, enlisting at Horsham, and he was assigned the service number of 4000. Jack's attestation paper recorded that he was aged 21 years 7 months (an overstatement of 2 years). Jack stood 5 feet 7 inches tall (171 cm), weighed 136 pounds (62.7 kg), had a dark complexion and brown eyes.
After 20 days basic training at Broadmeadows he was assigned to the 4th Light Horse battalion at Seymour, probably because of his exceptional horsemanship skills and gentle manner with these animals. Boarding the Ulysses at Melbourne just prior to Christmas in 1917 he arrived at the Suez Canal in mid January 1918.
Jack saw active service in France later that year but once his true age was discovered, he was reassigned as a driver in the 5th Divisional Ammunition Column. In October 1918 Jack was hospitalised in England haven fallen seriously ill with influenza and broncho pneumonia. Jack returned to Australia on 14 Jan 1919 and was discharged on 14 Mar 1919.
Jack returned restless and did not settle anywhere for too long. He worked as a labourer, farm hand, rabbiter in NSW, and shearer. It was in Western Victoria that he met Gwen Harman (nee Tindall) and they settled down on a property near Hillston, in New South Wales, and later in Deniliquin where Jack worked as a station hand.
On a trip to Melbourne in January 1964, Jack died suddenly just a few weeks shy of his 66th birthday.
His remains were removed to Anatomy Department of Melbourne University a few days later. Perhaps Gwen could not afford to have his body returned to Deniliquin.
In November 1966 Jack's remains were laid to rest in the Fawkner Cemetery, in an unmarked grave. - John McKay
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