809756 William Sutherland Mckay(Mackay) 33 Bty., 11 (The City of London Yeomanry) Lt. A.A. Regt. Ro

Hello, This is my first time posting and sorry if I am posting in the wrong place. I was wondering if anyone was able to help with any information on my granddad William Sutherland Mckay. Where can I look, maybe websites I've not tried. His army records have only been found from 1931 when he joined in Perth as a Gunner in the royal Artillery. He discharged in 1937 and relisted in 1940 in Dundee never to return. We know he was in the army before that but are unable to find any records. I found on a daughters birth certificate ( my dads half sister) that he was in the 2nd Gordons at Fort George in 1925.

William was born 6/9/1905 in Logie Pert Scotland to Edward and Mary Ann. His number 809756 only gives service from 1931 to 14.10.1944 when he was killed in action in Italy. Which is strange as my dad said all his number would only be different before 1931 if he had changed service to Marines or Navy but he was always in the army My dad finally got his grave changed in 2006 after years of trying to trace his grave, as it was recorded as Mackay. I am very interested in my family history and am researching all my Mckay/Mackay relatives especially the ones that came form Sutherland and settled in Marykirk as that William Mackay had articles on his death in Scottish newspapers calling him a Crimean war hero but would love to find further info on my granddad so I can tell my dad. Thank you in advance if anyone is able to help me

Sammie x

 

Hi Sammie

Welcome

Thats quite a start there -
Casualty

Scotland genealogogy research is a world I know little about, except to say that there are websites to visit and guess you have been to most of them. Regimental museums and associations are another source of military research.

I'm not sure how the Crimea relates as that was in the 1850's, perhaps its the grandfather of your grandfather ??
There are about 10 or so William McKay's that rec'd Crimea Medals in this database on Ancestry:
UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949

TD

 

Hello and thank you.
I will try the regimental museum and see if there is anything on my granddads service at Fort George. The name William Mckay is proving to popular in Scotland and in the army so some I have searched doesn't always have information that can tie in with my granddad or great great granddad.
Yes the William Mackay was my grandfathers granddad and he was awarded the maximum medals during his long service, he died in 1901 from old age and leg wound from the Crimean war that he ignored and carried on in battle and continued to work up until a few months before his death, very heroic and determined from what I have read which is lovely as I have only found this out from internet research. I will keep looking. thanks for your reply

 

I just noticed the word casualty and clicked on it, yes that was my granddad and they changed the name from Mackay to Mckay on the record after my dad managed to track it down. My dad has visited his grave and a new headstone had been made. I'm hoping to visit there next year

 

Welcome to the website Sammie. I know Logie Pert very well. Just down the road from a small village of Hillside, 2 miles from the port/town of Montrose.

Spent many an hour picking strawberries, daffodils and tatties on Mr. Salmonds farm. I think one of my brothers keeps contact with the son.

Anyway, here's my list of Scottish research tips.

Scottish Research

 

Sammie.

The 11 LAA Regt RA war memorial is in the Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great, West Smithfield, in the corner by the North door. The website is www.greatstbarts.com

You might want to find out if Gnr McKay's name is on it.

The Regt served in Italy with 22 AA Brigade and at some point is transferred to 2 AA Brigade. In Sep 44, because of an acute shortage of infanteers and a surplus of AA troops - there was no air threat, 11 LAA Regt RA is retrained as infantry. At the time, 2 AA Brigade was responsible for protecting landing grounds in the Arezzo Florence Lucca area.

The War Diaries for 11 LAA Regt RA are: WO 170/1212 11 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiments 1944 Jan-Dec.

Speak to drew5233 and he will source them for you.

Regards

Frank

 

Thank you for your reply with list of places of research. My dad knew Jock Salmond who was the owner in the 1950s when he was a young lad. He said the farm was called mains of Logie but mainly grew tattles,oats, barley,wheat,sugar beat, and neeps in his day.My dad knows the area well, as his gran is buried at old cemetery Logie down from the farm. I look forward to looking through the list

 

thank you. I will look into those website too to see if I can find William on there. And is drew a member on here?

 

Sammie, ask your Dad if it's this cemetery? Pert Churchyard in Logie, Angus - Find A Grave Cemetery we pass it all the time.

But from your description your Dad's grans plot sounds nearer to the farm. Is her grave near the church at the top of the top or further down the road towards Salmonds farm house?

My father worked at the psychiatric hospital in Hillside village and rented hospital housing at East and also West Mains of Rosemount up until 1975. We would have been able to see Logie Church from there. Bet your Dad went to the public cafe and shop at Sunnyside Hospital?

 

Hello he said the grave is down the slope of unmade track and you go through a gate about 200 yards from the farm cottages. There is a church ruin in the cemetery and he just knows it as old churchyard logie. My dad said he used to go to the dances at sunny side, also to the chief of the asylum house for new year and he was feeling sick and gave him a sandwich with syrup and cheese. His friends dad was Robert Kerr was one of the head nurses so did his wife. My uncle Alec Morrice worked there as did many of my relatives. My dad said he was a friend of the famous piper smith who lived in the cottage from hillside to craigo. There used to be a wooden house on the right coming from hillside towards craigo that the road man Mr Macintosh lived then and he thinks it became a fish and chip shop. He remembers a lot but left in Dec 1956 when he went into the army.

 

Your Dad left before my Dad went to work at Sunnyside around '61.

Does your Dad have a photo of the grave? I don't mind going for a look. I'm getting some vague memories of where the graves are. As youngsters, we're bound to have explored it.

Can I ask where you sought the military service record? Did you apply to MOD directly? Or did you get those enlistment details online?

Edit: This is old drone footage of the hospital, now in a sorry state. The video pans up approx 2mins 26sec into the video and you can see Logie in the distance, before the hills.

 

Gunner MCKAY, WILLIAM
Service Number 809756
Died 14/10/1944
Aged 39
33 Bty., 11 (The City of London Yeomanry) Lt. A.A. Regt. Royal Artillery
Son of Edward and Mary Ann McKay.

Kyle

 

Thanks. Yes this is his grave with new headstone after they previously had a cross with the wrong name. Sadly I can not find his record service from 1925-1931

 

Only his Service Records will give the full details of service and they are not available online only from the MoD .Are you sure he served 25-31 ? The RA enlistment gives 1930 as his date his number is also a RA number from their allocation which came in to being in 1920 ?
Strange

Kyle

 

Thank you that is kind of you but I'm sure he took a photo of his grans grave when they went back up to Scotland on holiday. There are some other Mckays or maybe Smarts that's his mum's side buried there too. My dad applied to the ccwg to get the name changed as had his army service number. I will find out from him where he got the records from as they only covered 1931-1944 with that number but he knew he was in the army since 18 and was less than a year off his 21 year service when he was killed in 44. I have written the the Gordon highlanders and am hoping they can piece together around 1925 when we know he was at fort George. Love the footage of the hospital,what an impressive building it was. I have sent it on to my dad.

 

Yes Andy (Drew5233) is a member on here. He has copied numerous war diaries for other forum members and his charges are very reasonable.
http://ww2talk.com/index.php?members/drew5233.6786/

Lesley

 

My dad must of got his service record from the MOD and has him enlisting in Perth on 16.4.1931 then his postings, discharge in 37 then back in again in 1940. This was all service with the royal artillery, it has him being different ranks and last one was war substantive bombardier until at his own request to be reverted back to a gunner on 20.8.1940. My dad said his mum told him he had nearly done 21 years service before he was killed which would add up to him joining around 1923/4 which fits in with his age of being 18. On a daughters birth certificate it lists him as being in the 2nd Gordon's in August 1925. I have recently traced her daughter as my dad has only just told me about his half sister and she confirms he was in the army when her mum was born in 1925 and that they also lived in Edinburgh as well as Logie Pert.

 

Thank you I will look into this as well

 

for interest
11th (City of London Yeomanry) LAA RA in North Africa & Italy

 

Thank you. I will copy the information I have on all my grandads postings in the royal artillery and see if any help them.