Neil Lloyd Macky
| Neil Lloyd Macky | |
|---|---|
| Born |
20 February 1891 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Died | 4 October 1981 (aged 90) Auckland, New Zealand |
| Allegiance |
 New Zealand
|
| Service/branch |
 New Zealand Military Forces
|
| Rank | Colonel |
| Commands held |
21st Battalion Bay of Islands Fortress Area |
| Battles/wars |
First World War Second World War |
| Awards | Military Cross |
First World War
Second World War
Colonel Neil Lloyd Macky MC (20 February 1891 – 4 October 1981) was a New Zealand lawyer and military leader.
Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Macky earned a law degree from Auckland University College and set himself up as a sole practitioner. He joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) in 1915 and was commissioned as an officer in the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. He served during the Senussi Campaign in the Middle East and on the Western Front. His leadership during the Battle of Flers–Courcelette earned him the Military Cross. After the war he returned to his legal career. He was also a senior officer in the Territorial Force (TF) in which he commanded an infantry brigade. In 1937, Macky was one of four TF colonels that publicly protested reforms that reduced personnel and affected morale in the TF. He was punished by being placed on the retired list. Recalled to duty in the Second World War, he commanded the 21st Battalion during the Battle of Greece. Repatriated to New Zealand after the battle, he commanded the Bay of Islands Fortress Area until he was placed on the reserve of officers. After the war he returned to his law firm for which he was practice manager. He died in 1981 at the age of 90.
Macky, the son of a clerk, was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on 20 February 1891. He was educated at Prince Albert College and then went onto Auckland University College to study law. He graduated with a law degree in 1912 and shortly afterwards was admitted as a solicitor. A year later he set up his own law practice as a barrister.
In 1915, Macky volunteered to join the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) which had been raised for service in the First World War. He was posted to the 1st Battalion of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade as a second lieutenant in October that year. He served in the Middle East during the brief Senussi Campaign before the brigade, as part of the newly formed New Zealand Division, embarked for the Western Front in April 1916. The first major engagement of the division's service in Europe was the Battle of Flers–Courcelette in September 1916. On 15 September, during the battle, Macky, newly promoted to a full lieutenant, won a Military Cross for his leadership of two platoons that dealt with a German counterattack.
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