MACKAY, Thomas Harrison

MACKAY, Thomas Harrison – A Southern Downs Veteran

CONFLICT : WWI
SERVICE NO : 1627
RANK : Private
UNIT : 2nd Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron
ENLISTMENT DATE : 14/10/1916
AGE : 27
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT : Warwick, Queensland
PLACE OF BIRTH : Tamworth, New South Wales
RELIGION : Church of England
OCCUPATION : Farmer
DATE OF DEATH : 20/08/1965
PLACE OF BURIAL : Gatton, Queensland

MEMORIALS : Yelarbon War Memorial, Yelarbon Roll of Honour

View Veteran’s Service File : MACKAY, Thomas Harrison

NOTES :

Thomas Mackay was the third of four children born to Thomas Harrison and Mary Jane Elizabeth Mackay of Tamworth. He had three half siblings from his mother’s first marriage.

His older brother Arnott Alfred Mackay 1591 had enlisted in July 1915 but after sustaining an injury to his elbow he was discharged medically unfit and returned to Australia in April 1916. His half-brother James Henry Bourne 5297 had enlisted in February 1916.

At the time of his enlistment, Thomas was working as a farmer. His attestation papers show he enlisted on 14 October 1916 in Warwick. Embarking aboard the Booraraat Melbourne, he set sail with the 11th Ligh Horse Regiment and disembarked at Suez and journeyed to Moascar in June 1917. From here he was assigned to the 2ndLight Horse Machine Gun Squadron.

At the end of his active service, Private Thomas Harrison Mackay 1627 embarked aboard HT Madras at Kantara for Australia on 27 June 1919 arriving home three years after he first enlisted.

Unfortunately, the brothers’ names were misspelt on the Yelarbon War Memorial and recorded as McKay and not Mackay.

Copyright 2026 Deborah C Wheeler and Duncan McLean, Southern Downs Military History

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