William Mackay | ParaData

William Mackay enlisted into the Royal Scots.

Private Mackay volunteered for airborne forces from The Lowland Regt in 1942.

Pte ‘Bill’ Mackay successfully completed the selection course at Hardwick Hall, before being sent to RAF Ringway on parachute course No 28. This ran from 21 to 28 September 1942. He was then posted to S Company, The 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion (5th Para Bn).

Pte Mackay served in North Africa and took part in the seaborne landings in Italy in September 1943 and remained in Italy with the 5th Para Bn as part of the re-designated 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade..

He jumped into Southern France in August 1944 and was part of the Athens occupation force in the winter of 1944-5.

After the war Pte Mackay served in Palestine until demobbed in December 1946.

Pte Mackay re-enlisted into The Territorial Army in May 1947.

‘Bill’ emigrated to Australia and has participated in the Anzac Day March in Sydney for the past 40 years, recently proudly accompanied by his grandson, Brendan also an airborne soldier.

1942
5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion (Private)

Operations

Event

Greece (Operation Manna)

One company of the 4th Para Battalion was dropped in high winds at Megara airfield 40 miles from Athens suffering numerous casualties.

Event

Italy

The Italians had capitulated while the force was still at sea. The sinking of HMS Abdiel by a mine in the harbour, however, resulted in the loss of 130 soldiers from 6th (Royal Welch) Parachute Battalion including their Commanding Officer.

Event

North Africa (Operation Torch)

On 12 November the 3rd Parachute Battalion (3 Para Bn) jumped onto and seized the vital airfield at Bone between Algiers and Tunis, arriving barely before German paratroopers deployed for the same mission.

Event

Palestine

Arab intransigence over the surge of Jewish immigration that followed the Holocaust in Europe led to the forming of extreme dissident Zionist groups such as IZL (Irgun Zwai Leumi) and the Stern Gang, all seeking to promote their aims through violence.

Event

South France (Operation Dragoon)

The airborne assault was mounted alongside five US Parachute Battalions and one US Air Landing Brigade. The 51st US Troop Carrier Wing provided the lift for what was essentially an American-heavy operation.

Decorations

Photos_4

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Airborne Grandfather and Grandson, Bill Mackay and Brendan, Sydney, Australia.

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'Bill' Mackay, ex 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion, Anzac Day, Sydney, 2012.

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Anzac Day, Sydney, 2012.

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'Bill' Mackay with his grandson Brendan, Anzac Day, Sydney, 2012.

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Private William Mackay

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Service History