Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Magnus James (Mack) MCKAY DCM, MM Update Details

If you confirm that you want to proceed with the update, this record will be locked for editing by all other users until you have finished. You will have 7 days to complete your changes before they will be automatically submitted. 

Do you want to proceed?

Cancel

Coming Soon.

MCKAY, Magnus James

• Personal Details
• Service History
• Personal Stories

Step 1: Personal Details

Service Number:	781
Enlisted:	24 March 1915
Last Rank:	Sergeant
Last Unit:	17th Infantry Battalion
Born:	Smithtown, New South Wales, Australia , 22 September 1896
Home Town:	Smithtown, Kempsey, New South Wales
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Driller
Died:	Natural causes, St Luke's Private Hospiital, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia , 19 February 1947, aged 50 years
Cemetery:	Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, NSW Cremated
Memorials:	South West Rocks Honour Roll

Show Relationships

Step 2: Service History

World War 1 Service

24 Mar 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Driver, 781, 17th Infantry Battalion
12 May 1915:	Involvement Driver, 781, 17th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: ''
12 May 1915:	Embarked Driver, 781, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Sydney
9 Jul 1917:	Honoured Military Medal, The Outpost Villages - German Withdrawal to Hindenburg Line, For gallantry and devotion to duty on 3/4 May 1917 against the Hindenburg Line near Noreuil after he put an enemy machine gun out of operation with a rifle grenade, he led a party of 12 men into a trench, and after despatching the rest of the crew proceeded to bomb down the trench - a distance of 300 yards. Due to casualties, his party was reduced to 5 and with the enemy counter attacking, he was forced to withdraw 100 yards and build a barricade which was held until relieved, thus providing the relieving troops with a foothold.
16 Jan 1919:	Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 17th Infantry Battalion
10 Jan 1920:	Honoured Distinguished Conduct Medal, For distinguished and gallant conduct following the wounding of his platoon commander on 31 August 1918 during the attack on Mont St Quentin when he took over command. Soon after the enemy counter attacked, and he was ordered to take up a position in the rear. He single-handedly covered the withdrawal of his men with rapid rifle fire inflicting so many casualties on the enemy that they were stopped. He saw his men into position and then dashed across the open, fired at by machine guns and rifles, escaping injury in a miraculous manner. Later after the right flank was held up by machine gun fire he went forward alone and bombed the post, killing two and putting the remainder to flight, allowing the advance to continue.

Step 3: Personal Stories

Submit a Story

* Title

* Content

Help us honour Magnus James McKay's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Add my story

Make a Dedication

Showing 4 of 5 images.
Click images to start slideshow.

Upload a Picture

Links and Documents

• Research Links

• ADFA - AIF Data base
• Australian War Memorial - Embarkation Roll
• Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards - Distinguished Conduct Medal
• Australian War Memorial - Honours and Awards - Military Medal
• Australian War Memorial - Honours and Awards (Recommendation for DCM )
• Australian War Memorial - Honours and Awards (Recommendation for MM)
• National Archives of Australia Service Record - B2455, MCKAY M J
• Trove digitised newspaper article - Family Notices
• Trove digitised newspaper article - MR. M. J. McKAY
• Trove digitised newspaper article - PERSONAL PARS
• Trove digitised newspaper article - TRIBUTE TO LATE M. J. McKAY.

Add a Link or Document

• Add a Link
• Add a Document

* Link text

* URL

Cancel

* File

Choose a file

* Name

Cancel

Date taken Year 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 Month January February March April May June July August September October November December Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Enter date, or part of, if known.

Caption

Attribution *

That in submitting this image that you confirm that you either own the image, is part of a family collection, can be used under CC license, or that the owner or creator has given permission for upload to the VWMA

Cancel

Please enter a reason for this report below and submit.

Reason for report*

Cancel

Please enter a reason for this report below and submit.

Reason for report*

Cancel