Information wanted
 

i am seaking information about my fathers war service in the British army during the Boer war. John Reid Mackie was born on Decenber 31 st 1881 at Ayr Scotland. He migrated to Australia in 1911 and enlisted to the 17 Batalion AIF.
If anyone has any information I will be glad to hear from you.

John

John Reid MACKIE
 

Hi John

Could these details I found on John Reid MACKIE be the relative you are looking for, if so he survived WW1 and was promoted twice and awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.

Cheers

Tony

See details below:

John Reid MACKIE

Regimental number 782
Religion Presbyterian
Occupation Engineer
Address Bundella Station, Quirindi, New South Wales
Marital status Single
Age at embarkation 32
Next of kin M G R Mackie, Cromwill Place, Ayr, Scotland
Enlistment date 1 March 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll 2 March 1915
Rank on enlistment Lance Corporal
Unit name 17th Battalion, Headquarters
AWM Embarkation Roll number 23/34/1
Embarkation details Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on 12 May 1915
Rank from Nominal Roll Sergeant
Unit from Nominal Roll 17th Battalion
Fate Returned to Australia 13 April 1919
Medals Meritorious Service Medal


Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 110
Date: 25 July 1918

John,

Suggest you might like to contact 'Mostly Unsung' in Brighton, Vic (Neil Smith has a website, I think) and ask if he can assist with the Boer War aspect. His original 1AIF file can be accessed and viewed under his name/number on the Australian Archives website, but the Boer War period will take someone like Neil who knows his way around the Brit archives to find out the info you seek.

Alternatively, if Neil cannot assist, I use a researcher in the UK for such things from time to time. He's pretty reasonable price-wise, and I've always had good, comprehensive results.

Mike C

Thankyou from John
 

Guys,

John rang me last night to say that his computer has crashed and that he will be out of action for a few days till he can get someone to sort it out.

He asked to put a post up explaining this and to thank everyone on this thread for their very helpful information.

He will be keeping all the info he has received with other personal effects and items of his Dads.

Incidentally Mr Mackie sounds like an amazing fella having fought in the Boer War and right through WW1..

Thanks, Tony,

Your post ie that Mackie Snr served in both the Boer and 1st WW: some years ago, my artist wife did a still life of a light horseman's 'outfit', with his medals (it hangs in our front hall). An expert chided me that the medal group showed Boer War, WW1 and WW2 medals: 'can't happen' I was told. Well, not true: the Kit all belonged to a bloke named Reynolds: put his age up for the Boer War, and age down for WW2 (served in rear areas, though). Blokes like Mackie and Reynolds were amazing people, and I'm sure there were others.

Mike C

Information J. R. Mackie.
 

Thank you Tony, Mike ,Tony and M L U for the helpfull information.
I had a book titled 17 Batalion AIF but an unable to find it.
I will follow up on the Mostly Unsung link.