Sergeant Gordon McKay
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Date of birth: 1889-10-11
Place of birth: Thorburn Nova Scotia Canada
Next of kin: James McKay, Thorburn, NS
Marital status: single
Occupation (attested): policeman
Occupation (normalized): Policeman and other Maintainers of Law and Order (except Military)
Address:
Thorburn, NS
Religion: Presbyterian
Date of death:
1918-09-01
Cause of death:
Killed in action
Buried:
Monchy British Cemetery, 2 D 21
MILITARY INFORMATION
Regimental number: 301150
Highest Rank:
Sergeant
Rank detail
Sergeant (Army).
Degree of service: Europe
Survived war: no
Battle wounded/killed: Scarpe (Capture of Monchy-le- Preux, 2nd battle of Arras)
Commemoration location: Mahone Bay, NS
RESEARCH INFORMATION
CVWM ID: No CVWM ID in our database, but try
this.
CWGC ID: 28799
LAC ID:
165743
Service file: B6926-S054
Uploader's Notes: from “Nova Scotia’s Part in The Great War” (1920) : “On the morning of 26 August the famous Battle of Arras opened. It was a day full of stirring incidents, the 36th Battery suffered severe casualties. The following days were very busy, the Battery constantly moving into new positions, shelling the enemy, and being shelled in return. On the morning of September 1st orders were received to cut wire on the Hindenburg line, and to expend upwards of four thousand rounds for that purpose. The position which the 36th Battery occupied was a very exposed one, and under observation by balloons and other means. The Battery had about completed one task when the enemy started to shell us very severely. At first the rounds fell short. Lieutenant Teed was at the telephone, and thinking that I did not receive the orders at the guns ran down to shout an order to No. 2 gun in charge of Sergeant McKay. Just as he got there an enemy shell landed, instantly killing Sergeant McKay, Gunner John Cornfoot and Lieutenant Teed. These were three of our very best, and the blow was one of the saddest in the 36th Battery s whole experience. Lieut. Lionel Teed was from St. John, and had -been with the Battery from its commencement. He was a brave officer, an extremely clever one, and loved by all. Sergeant McKay and Jack Cornfoot were also very popular. The wire cutting was completed. Not withstanding the shelling the brave boys of the 30th carried on as though nothing had happened., The battle which took place the next day broke the Hindenburg line, the strongest trench fortification ever utilized in warfare.”
Uploader's Research notes: Pack Horse Dugout near Boiry was the 9th Bde CFA location on 1 Sep 1918 and the diary notes that one officer and 2 NCOs (all of 36 Bty) were killed by counter-battery fire at Remy 70 Ridge, Long Wood m on 1 Sep 1918. It is very likely that Gordon was one of the NCOs noted [Sergeant Army Canadian Field Artillery 9th Brigade ]
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Date added: 2009-01-02
Last modified: 2009-11-07