Jack Mackey
| John Bernard Mackey | |
|---|---|
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John Mackey
|
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| Born |
16 May 1922 Leichhardt, Australia |
| Died | 12 May 1945 (aged 22) Tarakan Island, Borneo |
| Buried | Labuan War Cemetery |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service/branch | Second Australian Imperial Force |
| Years of service | 1940–45 |
| Rank | Corporal |
| Unit | 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion |
| Battles/wars |
Second World War |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
Second World War
John Bernard "Jack" Mackey, VC (16 May 1922 – 12 May 1945) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British Commonwealth forces. Mackey was one of twenty Australians to receive the award for actions during the Second World War, receiving his award posthumously for leading an attack on against a strongly defended Japanese position during the Battle of Tarakan in May 1945. He was 22 and serving as a corporal in the 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion at the time of his death.
Born in Leichhardt, New South Wales, Mackey was the only son and the eldest of four children of Stanislaus Mackey, a baker, and his wife Bridget Catherine Smyth Mackey. After attending St. Columba's School in Leichhardt and the Christian Brothers' High School in Lewisham, New South Wales, the Mackey family moved to Portland, New South Wales, in 1936, where his father operated a bakery. Mackey finished his schooling at the age of 14 and began working for his father. However, he did not enjoy the work and his relationship with his father deteriorated.
On 5 June 1940, Mackey enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force, falsifying his age to do so. After training, he was posted to the 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion and left with the unit in November 1941 for service in North Africa. He participated in the Syrian Campaign against the Vichy French and in the Second Battle of El Alamein.
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Wikipedia