MACKAY THE INTREPID

Evening Star, Issue 23817, 22 February 1941, Page 7

MACKAY THE INTREPID

A BORN LEADER “ Mackay of Cyronaica,” as future Australian "historians may dub Majorgeneral i. G. Mackay, Commander of the Sixth Division, long ago proved that, in addition to his other admirable qualities as a. leader of Australians, ho possesses those most essential' of all combinations lor the successful commander—courage and tenacity (says a writer in the Sydney ; Morning Herald ’)• This proof was given on a battle-torn Gallipoli hillside in August, 1915, when tho battalion of which he was then major took part in the assault on Lone Pine. Though mostly referred to as a battle, tho affair at Lone Pine was really a demonstration designed to force the Turks into reinforcing the area from Holies, whore it was intended that the main British offensive should be launched. Lone Pino was successful; Helles was not. The assault was entrusted to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Battalions of the Ist A.I.F. Infantry Brigade. After a preliminary bombardment, the men leapt from their trenches on the Pimple at 5.30 p.m. on August 6, 1915. At tho head of the leading men of the 4th raced Major Mackav, straight across no-man’s-land without halting at the first Turkish trench, firing from tho hip at the enemy. Mackay led the way along the surface, following a sap, and saw a wide communication trench with broad traverses that crossed the sap he was following. He swung towards it, jumped in, and followed it to the junction. There he stood, shooting down Turks who ran past the intersection. When no more came Mackay went ahead, leapt across the junction and to a position behind it. Tho first three Australians who tried to follow wore killed at the junction, the rest paused. ONE AGAINST THREE. In the roar of the battle, hot and with the smoke and dust of shell-bursts all around, Mackay found himself alone in a wide bay. He got on to the firestep and saw three Turks enter the bay. Ho pulled the trigger, which clicked on an empty breech. The magazine was empty. '.Mackay lunged at the enemy with "the bayonet, grazed one of them, and all throe fled. Mackay then called to his men to barricade the junction with sand-bags while he kept guard ahead of them, dropping another Turk who came into the bay. Soon the barricade was up, and bis men joined Mackay. By dark the position was consolidated, tiro-slops cut, and the bay fully manned. Tt became the north-east point of the new Anzac position on the Pine. All through that night and tho next day the party held out against numerous attacks "and heavy shelling. The actual hay itself had become a deathtrap, and Mackay blocked tho intersecting trenches and withdrew into them. Throughout he maintained his guard against an enemy making a desperate attempt to regain his lost trenches. The opposing troops were within a stone’s throw of each other, and all night long bombs rained into Maekay’s position. Anzacs tried to smother them with great-coats and sand-hags, but the casualties mounted. 'Mackay himself fell on a bomb with a great-coat; tho explosion lifted him in the air. and he was wounded. The officer scut to relieve him. Lieutenant Massic, was severely wounded as soon as he got, there. Mackav sent him back and curried on! He was wounded again soon after dawn, but still led tho desperate resistance against the connlor-

attacks, and supervised the strengthening of the position. Then, as the Official History puts it; “ Having fought for a night and a day in front of his men, though twice wounded, he reported to Macnaghten, who sent him to have his wounds dressed." The new Diggers could scarcely for a more inspiring leader.