Key Information
Name: John Mitchell Mackay
DoB: August 1 1879
Regt: 2nd Lieut. Royal Engineers, East Kent Regiment 19984
DoD: August 10 1917
Academic Career: CGS 1893
Biographical Information:
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Family Background:
John was the middle son of George Mackay and Isabella née Mitchell both from Scotland. George Mackay was Chief Constable of the city and the family’s address was the Police Office, West Walls. Isabella’s father was a county road surveyor in Peebles. In the 1881 Census, as well as the family of five plus grandmother Jessie Mitchell who was visiting, there were two servants and four prisoners! George was older (43) than Isabella (25) but Isabella died in 1883 aged 28 leaving her three little boys aged three, four and five motherless. All three boys attended the grammar school. By 1901 John was in London working as a civil engineer. Later he went to India to work for the Public Works Department in Bombay.
In the 1901 Census, the youngest boy, George Creighton (b. 09/11/1880 – an engineer) is still living at home with his father, but there is no record of the oldest son Alexander Sinclair Warren (b.13/7/1878 – an architect) – perhaps he had already left for Canada – both Alexander and George fought in the Great War in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. They both joined up in 1915 and survived the war. George married Margaret and had an address in British Columbia. Alexander was single and cited his brother John as next of kin with an address in Poona India. George Mackay Senior had died in 1910.
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Academic Record:
CGS 1893
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War Service:
On the outbreak of war, John volunteered at once, but the Government of India was unable to release him from his work. He came home on leave in April 1916 and obtained permission from the India Office to join the army. He was granted a commission in the Royal Engineers – East Kent Regiment 19984 – and went on active service in January 1917. John was killed in August 1917 at Ypres.
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Battalion:
Royal Engineers, East Kent Regiment
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Sources:
a) Carlisle School Memorial Register 1264-1924
b) Census: 1881 RG 11/5154
1891 RG 12/4285
1901 RG13/245 & RG 13/4864
c) www.collectionscanada.gc.ca
d) The Cumberland News August 25 1917