1900, Johannesburg
MACKAY, JOHN FREDERICK, University student, joined the 1st Gordon Highlanders. He served with the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders in the campaign on the North-West Frontier, India, and with the Tirah Expeditionary Force 1897—98, taking part in all the principal engagements, including Dargai, Tirah Maidan, Warran Valley, Bara River, and operations in Dwatoi country. For these services he received the Tirah Medal and the Punjab Frontier Medal with two clasps. He served with the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, and afterwards with the King's Own Scottish Borderers in the South African War of 1899-1901. He was present in the advance on Kimberley, 1899, including the action at Magersfontein; the operations in the Orange Free State, including the actions at Paardeberg and Zand River; the operations in the Transvaal, including the actions of Johannesburg, Pretoria and Belfast, 1900; the operations in the east of the Transvaal in 1901. For these services he received the Queen's Medal with five clasps, the King's Medal with two clasps, was twice mentioned in Despatches, and was awarded the Victoria Cross in connection with the action at Doornkop, near Johannesburg, South Africa, 28 May, 1900, the particulars of which are given in the London Gazette of 10 August 1900. His Victoria Cross was gazetted 10 August 1900: "John Frederick MacKay, Gordon Highlanders. Date of Act of Bravery: 20 May 1900. On the 20th May, 1900, during the action at Doornkop, near Johannesburg, MacKay repeatedly rushed forward, under a withering fire at short range, to attend to wounded comrades, dressing their wounds whilst he himself was without shelter, and in one instance carrying a wounded man from the open under a heavy fire to the shelter of a boulder". His name was again submitted for the Victoria Cross in connection with an act of gallantry in the action at Wolverkrantz, near Krugersdorp, on 11 July, 1900. Captain MacKay was seconded for service May, 1903, with the Southern Nigeria Regiment. He accompanied the expeditions to the Ime River, Cross River and Ibibio Country, 1904 and 1905. He accompanied the Bende Hinterland Expedition in 1905 and 1906. He also served with the Northern Nigeria Regiment in 1907, in command of the Ogumi Patrol. He received the West African General Service Medal with four clasps, and was twice mentioned in Despatches. He was transferred on promotion in 1907 from the King's Own Scottish Borderers to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. In the European War he served in France in 1915 and 1916. Returning in 1916, he was promoted to the command of the 2/6th Battalion Highland Light Infantry, which appointment he held until the battalion was disbanded. Lieutenant Colonel MacKay was, in August 1919, serving with his regiment, the 1st Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
