Mackie, George Davidson (Gunner, b.1918)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of NX22559 Gunner George Davidson Mackie, 2/1 Anti Aircraft Regiment, Darwin, Middle East, Papua New Guinea and Borneo, 1940-1945.

The collection consists of two original handwritten diaries. The first diary covers the period 12 December 1940 to 11 October 1942, and the second diary covers 12 November 1942 to 22 November 1945. Mackie’s opening entry reads ‘I suppose the first thing one does in a diary is to set down how, when and where, so: ….’. This very much sets the style for Mackie’s diaries; his entries are highly detailed, from enlistment on 29 May 1940, at Martin Place, Sydney, through to the end of the war. He covers: pre-embarkation training at Ingleburn Camp; air raid displays in Martin Place; promotions; leave; routine gunner activities; sailing conditions; one year anniversary of joining the Anti Aircraft Regiment; Italian prisoners; the weather; the food; places (Suez Canal, Sinai Desert, Gaza, Beirut, Jerusalem, Damascus); Christmas day parcels and mail; and front-line activities, including an Italian E-boat attack on battleships in Alexandria Harbour. Mackie’s final entry is written from the staging camp, Yeerongpilly, Brisbane, on 22 November 1945: ‘… To return for the last time through Sydney Heads was the hopeful dream of every old hand in the regiment. Still we cant grumble, we are here and should be in Sydney by the weekend…’. Mackie discharged on 6 December 1945.

• Diary of George Davidson Mackie, December 1940 - October 1942
• Diary of George Davidson Mackie, November 1942 - November 1945