1. Mackay, George Eric (Private, b.1897 - d.1923); 2. Mackay, Murdoch Nish (Major, b.1891 - d.1916)

Collection relating to the service of 192 Private George Eric Mackay, 1 Australian General Hospital & 22 Battalion, AIF, at sea, Egypt, Gallipoli, France, 1915-1916; and to the service of Major Murdoch Nish Mackay, 22 Battalion, AIF, at Sea, Egypt, Gallipoli, France, 1915-1916. Collection consists of a bound volume of negative photostat copies (white writing on black background) of one hundred and seventeen letters from Private George Eric Mackay and Major Murdoch Nish Mackay, to their family in Victoria. The photostat copies were made and bound by Australian War Memorial. Location of originals unknown.

Biographical note: Major Murdoch Nish Mackay, 22 Battalion AIF, who on 5 August 1916, was killed in action at Pozieres. Other biographical details concerning him are: Barrister of Bendigo, Victoria, born Bendigo, educated at Gravel Hill State School, St. Andrew's College and High School, Bendigo, and Ormond College, Melbourne University; age at time of death 25. He had (says his father) a brilliant University career, gaining honours each year: obtained LL.B degree before he was 20, and was Master of Laws at 20. He was admitted to the Bar at 21, and had appeared in the High Court of Australia before leaving for the front at the age of 24. He left Australia in May 1915 (as Captain) and gained his majority in Gallipoli, where he served for four months, before returning to Egypt and thence to France. Before the war he served in the Bendigo Citizen Forces and the Brunswick-Carlton Infantry.

Bibliographical note: 192 Private George Eric Mackay, 1 Australian General Hospital & 22 Battalion, AIF. Born in Bendigo, 1897. Student at Scotch College, Melbourne and a medical student at Melbourne University (Ormond College).

• Wallet 1 of 1 - Collection relating to the First World War service of Private George Eric Mackay and Major Murdoch Nish Mackay