92349
MCKAY, James
| Service Number: | 139 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 January 1916, at Adelaide |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 43rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Belfast, Ireland, February 1890 |
| Home Town: | Alberton, Port Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 139, 43rd Infantry Battalion, at Adelaide | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 139, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 139, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Adelaide | |
| 22 Aug 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 43rd Infantry Battalion | |
| 29 Sep 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 43rd Infantry Battalion, Admitted to 11th Australian Field Ambulance, 30 September 1918, and transferred to 50th Casualty Clearing Station (gun shot wound, hands); to Ambulance Train '19', 1 October 1918; admitted to 74th General Hospital, 2 October 1918. Proceeded to England for further treatment on HS 'Essequibo', 25 October 1918; admitted to 2nd Southern General Hospital, Bristol, 26 October 1918; transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, 27 November 1918; discharged on furlough, 3 January 1919. | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 139, 43rd Infantry Battalion | |
| 17 Jun 1919: | Honoured Military Medal, Army Form W.3121 reads, 'On 29th September 1918, during operations South of BONY, when his platoon was held up by intense enemy machine gun fire Lance Corporal McKay worked up a trench towards the enemy and selected a position from which he could enfilade the enemy trench with his Lewis Gun. This he succeeded in doing and caused so many casualties to the enemy that his platoon was able to advance and occupy an important position'. | |
| 11 Jul 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 43rd Infantry Battalion, Discharged as being medically unfit for continued service. |
Help us honour James McKay's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Kathleen Bambridge
On 6 March 1920 General Birdwood (UK) presented him with his Military Medal.
Biography contributed by St Ignatius' College
James McKay was born in Belfast, Co Antrim, Ireland in February 1890 (1). At some point in his life he moved to Stroud Street, Cheltenham, Adelaide, SA (1)
We guess that he was not close to anyone in Adelaide or that he had any family there as his next of kin was given as a friend in Melbourne called Miss Ruth James.(1)
He worked as a labourer of some kind before he enlisted at the age of 25 years and 11 months on January 10th, 1916. His exact birthdate could not be found (2). By the time he enlisted the war had been going on for two years and the fate of the ANZACs at Gallipoli was well known in Australia. Meaning he probably knew what he was getting himself into.
He embarked in Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT (His Majesty's Australian Transport) A19 Afric on 9 June 1916. (1) arriving at Marseilles on 20/7/1916.(2) From Marseilles his battalion was taken by train to Le Havre and then across the channel to Southampton and on to Salisbury plain where the soldiers were trained.(3) During this time in England, he went AWL (Absent without leave) for a couple of days thereby earning 14 days' CB (confinement to barracks) and lost 2 days' pay.(1) On 25th November 1916 his battalion returned to France for active service on the Western front.(3)
On January the 30th 1918 he injured his knee and was admitted to the ACC (Australian Casualty Clearing station) later that day. He was then sent to several places in France for treatment before re-joining his battalion on 10 April 1918. (1) His battalion was not fighting on the day he was injured so I can only assume it was an accident during work. (2) From the ACC records(3) someone else was similarly wounded that day so they may have been in a brawl or something similar.
On 11Nov 1918 he was promoted to lance corporal,(1) the next rank up from private. He was now in command of 10 men(5). On September the 29th 1918 James McKay suffered an injury to his right hand while fighting south of Bony(1). According to the AIF project he worked his way up a trench to enemy lines and was able to cause enough casualties to a German machine gun position with his Lewis gun for his battalion to take a strategic position South of Bony(1). His actions are a clear example of the ANZAC spirit and sheer bravery of all the soldiers in WW1. He was taken to the ambulance the next day and soon sent to England for treatment(3). Once in England he was moved to several hospitals around the country. Being sent to England at this time was called a ‘Blighty’ and was only done for serious injuries that warranted the trip to the specialist hospitals in England(4). Finally, after spending 3 months in hospital and being wounded for life he was discharged on Jan 3rd, 1919(3). The war had ended without him. Immediately after being released from hospital he went AWOL again. This time for nearly a month until he was either caught or gave himself up on February 2nd(1). For his insubordination he lost a total of 59 days' pay and received 28 days' detention starting on Feb 5th though he was released on the 26th due to remittance of sentence(1). James McKay then left for Australia on the 10th of April 1919 on the TH Medic’ and disembarked at Adelaide on 26th of May 1919.(1) After 22 days of being in Australia he was finally awarded a Military Medal for his bravery in Bony on the 17 June 1919(1). Like most Australian solders he was probably quarantined on Torrens Island in Adelaide when he arrived home(4). He was then Discharged as being medically unfit for continued service, in Adelaide on the 11of July 1919(1).
Numbered sources
1 the AIF project
2 war diary entrys
3 National archives of Australia
4 Other
5 Over the front