Private Alexander McInnes

Alexander McInnes, always known as Mac, was born on the 7 April 1957 and came from Saltburn, Teeside. His parents were Duncan and Ruby McInnes, who had two other sons, Camble and Ian and four daughters, Ethel, Avon, Jean and Margaret who was Mac’s twin.

Mac attended Hunt Cliff Secondary School in Saltburn. Shortly before applying to join the Army Mac’s mother died of cancer in 1977 aged 55.  

Mac started his training at the Depot The Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces, Browning Barracks Aldershot on the 3 December 1979 and upon completion he was posted to 3 Platoon, A-Company, 2 PARA. At the time they were in Northern Ireland on an operational tour of duty and he joined them on the 30 July 1980. He was regularly deployed on operations in the South Armagh until the 2nd Battalion returned to Aldershot on the 2 March 1981.

Back in Aldershot the Battalion was extensively re-organised and he went on an exercise to Denmark, 12 to 26 September 1981 and then to Kenya, 10 November to 16 December 1981. He was, by now, the No 1 on the 84mm Carl Gustav anti-tank weapon in 3 Platoon and he would be employed as such in the Falklands campaign in May to June 1982.

Like most of the men in 2 PARA he got wet feet right from the start and this badly affected them, with trench-foot setting in straight away. He would not, however, let this get the better of him and changed or rotated his socks round more than most and continually tried to keep his feet dry.

By the time it came to the approach march to attack Darwin and Goose Green Mac was really suffering, not that you’d know it, because he never complained. In the attack on Burntside house he and his No 2, Paul Winder, were off to a flank providing support fire to the platoon as they attacked. All that could be heard from them was; 'Miss-fire, unload, miss-fire, unload', as every round they had seemed to be a dud.

Later when the platoon became isolated at the end of the causeway bridge at Darwin Bay it came under heavy artillery or mortar fire and Mac had to run for cover. Trying to carry the 35 lb ‘Charlie G’ would probably have got him killed, so he ditched it. The Platoon Commander, Lieut Guy Wallis, ran out to retrieve it!

Mac was med-evaced after the battle as a result of his feet becoming so bad he was in danger of getting severe trench-foot and losing them. He spent a couple of weeks escorting prisoners on board the M.V. Norland back to Argentina and was on board to meet the blokes when the campaign was over.

He remained with the platoon for the garrison tour of Belize, 8 April to 5 October 1983, where he was stationed at Salamanca Camp in the South West of the country.

He also took part in the 2 PARA training exercise to Fort Lewis, Washington State, U.S.A., 2 February to 9 March 1984.

Alex was medically discharged from the army on the 8 January 1986, suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. He had spent some time in Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital, Woolwich, London.

He passed away at his home in Brotton Road, Carlin How on Sunday, 16 March 2014, of Coronary Thrombosis, Coronary Atherosclerosis. He was 56 years old.