James Whiteside McCay KCMG KBE (1864 - 1930)

Formative years

Jim McCay KCMG KBE was born in Ireland.

James Whiteside McCay was born on 21st December 1864 ^[2] at Ballynure, County Antrim, Ireland. ^[3] Jim was the firstborn child of Rev Dr A R Boyd McCay, a Presbyterian clergyman, and his wife, Lily McCay nee Brown, a brilliant woman who spoke seven languages fluently. ^[1]

Jim McCay KCMG KBE migrated from Ireland to Victoria.

When Jim was four months old, in 1865, the McCay family migrated to Victoria (Australia), ^[2] because Boyd McCay was taking up an appointment to the Presbyterian Church in the goldfields town of Castlemaine. The Reverend Doctor later became theological professor of one of the affiliated colleges of the Melbourne University. ^[4]

Once settled in Victoria, Jim received nine siblings, one of whom did not survive infancy: Campbell McCay born in 1967 in Castlemaine;^[4] Margaret, Mrs J W Thwaites (Melbourne);^[1] Hugh McCay, of the Royal Mint, London;^[1] Leirine, Mrs Drake of Sydney.^[1] Adam McCay (Sydney);^[1] Delamore McCay (editor ot the Sydney "Sun"); ^[1] Walton McCay, under-secretary for Lands, Western Australia;^[1] and Ross McCay (Tasmania);^[1]

When he was 12 years old, Jim won a State school exhibition worth £35 for six years. He then went to the Scotch College, and carried off scholarships to the tune of £200 during his first year. ^[2] Jim was dux of Scotch College, in 1880. ^[3]

Studies bear fruit

At just 21 years of age, in 1885 after graduating in Arts, Jim bought Castlemaine Grammar School, and was principal there for a number of years. ^[3] He still pursued his academic course, with the result that he graduated Master of Arts (MA) in Mathematics from the University of Melbourne, where he also gained his Bachelor of Laws (LLB), ^[3][2]

Jim was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the volunteer military forces of Victoria in 1886 and posted to the 4th Battalion, Victorian Rifles. ^[1]

In 1895 he was admitted to the Bar as well as elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as the member for Castlemaine (1895-99). ^[3]

In 1896, Jim married Miss Julia O'Meara, ^[5] the daughter of John Joseph O'Meara, a well-known police magistrate of Melbourne. ^[1] Jim and Julia had two daughters:

• the Reverend Mother Margaret Mary McCay, ^[6] of the Sacred Heart Convent, Malvern ^[1]
• Beatrix 'Bixie' Waring, Mrs George Oswald Reid LLB, of Mont Albert ^[7][1]

In 1899, he was defeated in the colonial election by a law student and pupil of his own, ^[2][3] His publicly expressed view that, at that point in time, Britain did not require any assistance in the South African war, contributed to his defeat. ^[1]

In 1901, Jim was elected as a Protectionist to represent the seat of Corinella in the new federal House of Representatives. As Minister for Defence 1904-05 in the Reid-McLean government, he was responsible for a number of important decisions regarding the establishment of the Australian defence forces. In 1906 the seat of Corinella was eliminated in a redistribution of electorates; Jim standing unsuccessfully for the seat of Corio (Victoria). He also failed in an attempt to gain election to the Senate in 1910. ^[3]

Meanwhile, his militia service continued to prosper; commanding and providing the future direction of the newly-created Australian Intelligence Corps from 1907 to 1913. ^[3]

The Great War

Jim McCay KCMG KBE is an Anzac who served in World War One.

On 12th August 1914, at the start of the (First World) War, Jim was one of the first to volunteer for active service abroad in the especially-formed Australian Imperial Force, never mind that he was then 49 years of age! ^[8][1]

CASTLMAINE.^[9] Promoted to Colonel, Jim was at the head of the Victorian Infantry Brigade of the expeditionary force. ^[10] Some of the alumni of Castlemaine Grammar School forwarded him a gold wristlet watch, which he gratefully acknowledged.

LT GEN Sir Jim McCay KCMG KBE was Wounded in Action at Gallipoli during The Great War.

Jim led the 2nd Infantry Brigade at the Gallipoli landing. ^[3] He was twice wounded during the Gallipoli campaign, including as he led the celebrated charge at Helles on 9th May 1915. ^[1] He was evacuated to hospital in England andt then repatriated home. While he was recovering from his wounds his wife, Julia, died in July 1915. ^[11]

Command of the newly-formed Fifth Australian Division was given to newly-promoted Major General James McCay in early 1916. After embarking for Europe the division became the last Australian division to deploy to the Western Front, but the first to go into a major battle; Jim leading the division on the Somme in the awful tragedy that was Fleurbaix or Fromelles. ^[1] Whilst Jim never defended himself against claims that the disaster was his fault, he believed, rightly, that history would judge him true. The timing probably not being supportive, declining health and continued suffering from his earlier wounds led Jim to request a new appointment; subsequently taking charge of the Australian base depots in England 1917-18. He returned home following the Armistice, commencing his voyage 19th April 1919. ^[3] Later that year, along with George Swinburne and Generals White and Legge, he produced a report on the organisation of the post-war Army. In 1920, he joined Generals Chauvel, White, Monash, Legge, and Hobbs to produce a second report on the subject.

His war service brought several well-deserved honours:

• appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 1916 ^[12]
• appointed Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur in 1916 ^[13]
• created Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1918 ^[14]
• created Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1919 ^[15]

New ventures

Jim was appointed chairman of the Fair Profits Commission, a consumer protection body set up to monitor prices and profits. After his term ended in 1921, he was appointed to the advisory board of the War Service Homes Scheme of the Repatriation Commission. Monash appointed him to train and organise an emergency police force after the police mutiny of 1923. He also became a valued contributor to The Argus. ^[1]

Inspired by younger daughter Bixie, by then a barrister, Jim was enrolled as a barrister on 8th October 1925.

In 1930 he became ill with cancer. On 1st October 1930 and aged 65 years, Sir James McKay passed away in a private hospital at East Melbourne. ^[16] At his request he was given a non-military funeral at Cairns Memorial Presbyterian Church in East Melbourne. Generals John Monash, "Pompey" Elliott, Cecil Henry Foott, R. E. Williams, and J Stanley were amongst his pall-bearers. He was buried in Box Hill Cemetery. ^[17]

Legacy

One of the greatest soldiers that ever served Australia … greater even than Monash - Lieutenant General Sir Brudenell White ^[3]

His achievements included the creation of the Military Board and the Australian Army Intelligence Corps, and the development of the Staff Corps, "laying the foundations on which the Australian Army was built". ^[18]

In writing Volume III of the Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918, which covered 1916, official historian Charles Bean exonerated McCay of blame for Fromelles.

"DEATH OF SIR JAMES McCAY. REMARKABLE CAREER. MILITARY LEADERSHIP. Politics and Literary Work. It is with extreme regret that we announce the death of Sir James McCay, who was conspicuous for many years in Victorian public life and in journalism, and was one of the foremost leaders of the Australian Imperial Force. Sir James McCay died yesterday at a private hospital in East Melbourne. He had been ill for several months. The funeral will leave Cairns Memorial Church, Powlett street, East Melbourne, for the Box Hill Cemetery after a service, commencing at 11 o'clock tomorrow morning." ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18} 'DEATH OF SIR JAMES McCAY.', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 2 October 1930, p. 7, viewed 23 February, 2015
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} 1904 'AMENDMENT McCAY.', Westralian Worker (Perth, WA : 1900 - 1951), 16 September, p. 4, viewed 23 February, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article149606826
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10} Senate Research Section, "James Whiteside McCay (1864-1930) For Peace, Order and Good Government, The first Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia", Parliament of Australia Exhibitions, ( Australian Parliament House Website, 2009), accessed 23 February 2015, http://exhibitions.senate.gov.au/pogg/members/mccay.htm .
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} 1924 'MARKETS SUPERINTENDENT.', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 25 March, p. 10, viewed 23 February, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1939483.
5. ↑ Victoria Marriage Index #2663/1896; note: surname recorded as McCray
6. ↑ Victoria Birth Index #2067/1897
7. ↑ Victoria Birth Index #2007/1901
8. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: James Whiteside McCay; accessed 11 Mar 2019
9. ↑ 1914 'CASTLEMAINE.', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 21 September, p. 12, viewed 23 February, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10807513
10. ↑ 1914 'COLONEL J. W. McCAY.', Kyneton Guardian (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), 8 September, p. 4, viewed 23 February, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129620405.
11. ↑ Victoria Death Index #10959/1915
12. ↑ Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: James Whiteside McCay; accessed 11 Mar 2019
13. ↑ Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: James Whiteside McCay; accessed 11 Mar 2019
14. ↑ London Gazette 28 December 1917 Supplement: 30450 Page: 7; accessed 11 Mar 2019
15. ↑ Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: James Whiteside McCay; accessed 11 Mar 2019
16. ↑ Victoria Death Index #14357/1930
17. ↑ McCay James Whiteside, Register Number 10543; Box Hill Cemetery; Location:P-NS-0565, Box Hill Cemetery Mapping Portal, http://boxhillcemetery.org/mapguide/BoxHill/Public/
18. ↑ "A Great General who became All but Forgotten". Canberra Times 31st August 2002. p. 16

See also

• Wikipedia profile: James Whiteside McCay; accessed 21 Jun 2018.