Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland 

Died on this date – 25th July…… Hugh Grant Mackay was born at Carlton, Victoria in 1898.

His mother – Mary Jane Mackay died in 1905. His father - David Grant Mackay remarried in 1906.
Hugh Grant Mackay enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 17th July, 1915 as a 21 year old (underage, 17 years?), single, Brass Finisher.

Private Hugh Grant Mackay, Service number 2743, embarked from Australia on 5th October, 1915 with the 6th Reinforcements of 21st Battalion. (Note: Private Hugh Grant Mackay does not appear to be listed on any Embarkation Roll on the Australian War Memorial website, His Service Record file does not record where or what he embarked from/on).

He was taken on strength of 21st Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir on 7th January, 1916.

On 19th March, 1916 Private Mackay proceeded to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) from Alexandria & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 26th March, 1916.

Private Mackay was absent from Tattoo Roll Call on 2nd April, 1916. He was awarded 14 days Field Punishment on 4th April, 1916 while posted at Glomengern.

He was absent from Tattoo Roll Call (5 minutes) on 7th May, 1916 while posted in France. He was awarded 120 hours Field Punishment No. 2 on 9th May, 1916.

Private Hugh Grant Mackay was wounded in action in France on 15th November, 1916. He was admitted to 36th Casualty Clearing Station on 15th November, 1916 with G.S.W. (gunshot wound/s) to Left Thigh.

Private Mackay was transferred & admitted to 6th General Hospital at Rouen, France on 17th November, 1916. He was listed for transfer to England on 24th November, 1916 & embarked from Havre, France on 27th November, 1916 on Hospital Ship Asturia.

On 28th November, 1916 Private Mackay was admitted to Beaufort War Hospital, England. He was transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, Kent on 11th December, 1916 with shrapnel wound/s to left thigh.

He was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, Dorset on 18th December, 1916 from Dartford. The Hospital Admission form recorded for 19th December, 1916: “Wound not quite healed, very little disability. B1 a Grade I.”

Private Mackay was written up for an Offence while posted at Wareham – A.W.L. (absent without leave) from 3 pm on 3rd January, 1917 to 3 pm on 4th January, 1917. He was awarded 2 days Field Punishment No 2 by Lieutenant A. M. Wallis on 9th January, 1917. He was in custody awaiting trial for 4 days & was awarded a total forfeiture of 8 days’ pay.
He was written up again - absenting himself on 11th February, 1917 from Town Picquet after having been duly warned. He was awarded 48 hours detention by Captain A. W. Hamilton on 13th February, 1917.

And again - A.W.L. (Absent without Leave) from 8.30 am on 5th March, 1917 to 10 am on 12th March, 1917. He was awarded 8 days detention by Captain A. N. Hamilton on 13th March, 1917 & a total forfeiture of 16 days’ pay.

On 15th April, 1917 Private Mackay reported sick while posted at No. 4 Command Depot, Wareham, Dorset, England. He was admitted to 16th Field Ambulance on 15th April, 1917 with V.D. then transferred to 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital, Bulford, Wiltshire on 19th April, 1917. Private Mackay was discharged on 10th May, 1917 & was marched in to No. 4 Command Depot at Wareham on the same day. Total V.D. period – 26 days.

Private Mackay was transferred to 65th Battalion on 15th May, 1917 & was taken on strength of 65th Battalion the same day from 21st Battalion. He was A.W.L. (absent without leave) on 17th May, 1917 from Windmill Hill.

He was declared an illegal absentee on 30th June, 1917 by a Court of Inquiry held at Windmill Hill. Private Mackay was marched in to 65th Battalion on 2nd July, 1917 from his illegal absence.
On 30th July, 1917 Private Mackay was AWL & returned on 7th August, 1917.

Private Mackay was marched in to No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs on 9th August, 1917 from Warwick Square, London. He was marched out to Windmill Hill on 11th August, 1917 from Perham Downs, Wiltshire.

A District Court Martial was held on 20th August, 1917 at Perham Downs – President Lieutenant Colonel C. R. Davies. Private Hugh Grant Mackay was charged with 1. AWL at Wareham from 17th May, 1917 till he was apprehended by the Military Police at about 2.15 pm on 2nd July, 1917. 2. At Ludgershall on 24th July, 1917 – disobeying a lawful command given by his Superior Officer. 3. At Ludgershall on 30th July, 1917 – when in confinement escaping. Private Mackay pleaded guilty on 1st & 3rd Charges but not guilty on 2nd Charge. The Finding – Guilty of all charges. He was sentenced to undergo detention for 150 days. In custody awaiting trial – 48 days & forfeited a total of 245 days’ pay.

He was admitted to Hereford Detention Barracks, England on 30th August, 1917. Private Mackay was transferred to Detention Barracks at Lewes on 23rd November, 1917. He was transferred to 21st Battalion from 65th Battalion on 23rd November, 1917, while undergoing detention at Lewes Barracks.

On 24th December, 1917 Private Mackay was given a remission of Sentence & was discharged from A.I.F. Detention Barracks at Lewes to Overseas Training Brigade. He was marched in to Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire, England on 25th December, 1917 from Lewes Detention Barracks.

Private Mackay was A.W.L. (Absent without Leave) from 8.30 am on 11th January, 1918 until reporting back at 9 pm on 16th January, 1918. He was awarded 18 days Field Punishment No. 2 & forfeited a total of 24 days’ pay.

He proceeded overseas to France via Southampton on 7th February, 1918 from Sandhills Camp, Longbridge Deverill. He was marched in to A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Havre, France on 8th February, 1918. Private Mackay joined 21st Battalion in the Field on 13th March, 1918.

On 1st April, 1918 Private Mackay was AWL from 1.30 am until 5 am. He was awarded 14 days Field Punishment No. 2 by C.O. 21st Battalion.

Private Mackay reported sick on 28th April, 1918. He was admitted to 6th Australian Field Ambulance on 29th April, 1918 then transferred to 20th Casualty Clearing Station with Gastritis. Private Mackay was transferred to Ambulance Train 37 on 29th April, 1918 & admitted to 24th General Hospital at Etaples, France on 30th April, 1918. He was invalided to England on 13th May, 1918 on Hospital Ship Stad Antwerpen with Tubercular Peritonitis.

He was admitted to Frensham Hill Military Hospital, England on 14th May, 1918 then transferred to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, England on 13th June, 1918.

Private Hugh Grant Mackay died at 7.55 pm on 25th July, 1918 at 1st Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield Park, Harefield, Middlesex, England from Tubercle of Peritoneum.

He was buried in St. Mary the Virgin Churchyard, Harefield, Middlesex, England where 112 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/l---n.html