Kenneth Mackay CB MBE (1917 - 2004)

Born 17 Feb 1917 in Waverley, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Died 18 May 2004 at age 87 in New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Ken Mackay CB MBE is Notable.

Major General Kenneth Mackay CB MBE was a decorated senior officer of the Australian Army, at the peak of his military career Commander of Australian Forces in Vietnam and General Officer Commanding Field Force Command; having served through the Second World War, British Commonwealth Occupation Forces, Korean War and Vietnam War. He had earlier in life, at a high level of peril to his own life, saved the life of a man who had fallen over the North Head cliffs, Sydney.

Formative years

Ken Mackay CB MBE was born in New South Wales, Australia

Born Kenneth Mackay on 17th February 1917 in Waverley, New South Wales, Australia, he was the son of Robert Mackay and Elsie Hill. ^[1] Ken's father was a Commonwealth Audit Inspector, whose employment took him to the Northern Territory, Papua and New Guinea, New South Wales and Victoria. Mackay attended school at Darwin, Port Moresby, Wollongong and Melbourne. He had an outdoors childhood and was an acute observer of nature, a good shot, proficient in Pidgin English, and was uncommonly self-reliant. He completed his secondary schooling at Melbourne University High.

During a rest and training period in Australia during the Second World War, on 6th March 1943, Ken married Judith Littler, of Launceston, Tasmania.

Military career

Entering Royal Military College, Duntroon, in March 1935 Ken graduated on 14th December 1938 as a Lieutenant. As a young artillery officer at North Head, Sydney, in 1939 he was integral to saving the life of a young local man who had fallen over one of the cliffs. Ken was lowered by rope with a canvas stretcher to recover the man and guide the stretcher back up over the rocky outcrops. As he was pulled back to the top to the cliff, the ropes cut deeply into him and he had to reach into himself to contain his own fatigue and pain - a lesson found useful in several battle situations later. For his bravery that night Ken was awarded the Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal.

Ken Mackay CB MBE is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Australian Army 1935-1974
Second World War; British Commonwealth Occupational Force; Korean War; Vietnam War

Ken transferred to the Second Australian Imperial Force so that he would be part of overseas action during the Second World War. ^[2] and he was appointed adjutant of 2/8th Field Regiment at Puckapunyal, Victoria. The regiment sailed for the Middle East, arriving in April 1941, where it was allotted to the 9th Division via a short stint with 6th Division. While the division was at Tobruk – the Rats of Tobruk – Ken’s regiment was attached to the 22nd Guards Brigade. He was transferred from regimental headquarters to troop commander in 16th Battery; a brief posting that was his last gunner command. His ability to accurately navigate the desert was a source of great satisfaction to him and led to his attending the UK Commando Instructors Course. This, in turn, led to promotion to Major, tasked with raising and training the 9th Division’s Commando Unit. Back in Australia, Ken trained for amphibious operations before landing with 26th Brigade for the advance on Lae in New Guinea. In that campaign, he was always well forward with the infantry and in the attack on Sattelberg his ‘office’ consisted of a sheet of canvas, a map board, signal pad and torch. In 1944, he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his service in New Guinea; his citation highlighting: ‘an excellent system of communication was developed and maintained despite countless difficulties’. ^[3] Later in 1944 he was posted to the War Office in London to work in a top-secret section that reported directly to the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. He was invested with his MBE by King George VI at Buckingham Palace on 11th May 1945. ^[4]

Post-war, promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, Ken commanded the 67th Battalion (later re-designated 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment) in Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. He later served in Korea with 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR), ^[5] following which he continued to serve in a variety of staff and command postings.

During the Vietnam War, Ken flew in-flew out several times before completing a tour (1966-67) as Major General, the commander of Australian Forces in Vietnam. ^[6] He was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). ^[7] Later, Ken served as Commander 1st Division and, finally, in 1973, was appointed General Officer Commanding Eastern Command (later re-named Field Force Command).

Retirement

Major General Mackay retired in 1974. He and Judith firstly settled in Canberra, then Port Macquarie and finally Sydney (Belrose). Here, Ken became a member of the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company and for several years assisted in the library.

With his passing on 18th May 2004, aged 87 years, Australia lost a most remarkable person. Ken's funeral was held in the historic Garrison Church, Miller's Point, Sydney. He was survived by his wife and three children, Kenneth, Prudence and Euan.

Honours and awards

• Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)
• Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
• 1939-1945 Star
• Africa Star
• Pacific Star
• Defence Medal
• War Medal 1939-1945
• Australia Service Medal 1939-1945
• General Service Medal 1918-62
• Vietnam Medal
• Australian Service Medal 1945-75
• Australian General Service Medal for Korea
• Australian Defence Medal
• United Nations Service Medal for Korea
• Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
• Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal
• Returned Service Badge

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #7903/1917
2. ↑ Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll: 244 (NX12365, VP16045) Kenneth Mackay; accessed 19 Jun 2018
3. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards: MBE; accessed 28 Feb 2023
4. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards (recommendation): MBE; accessed 28 Feb 2023
5. ↑ Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll (Korea): 244 Kenneth Mackay; accessed 19 Jun 2018
6. ↑ Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll (Vietnam): 244 Kenneth Mackay; accessed 19 Jun 2018
7. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards: CB; accessed 28 Feb 2023

See also

• RAAHC: Kenneth Mackay; accessed 19 Jun 2018.