John Bernard Mackey
Corporal, 2nd/3rd Pioneer Battalion, Australian Military Forces
- Register No.
- 802 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Corporal all Corporals →
- Unit
- 2nd/3rd Pioneer Battalion, Australian Military Forces (register: 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion, AIF) all 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion, AIF VCs →
- Date of action
- 12 May 1945 on this day → all of 1945 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- London Gazette
- 8th November 1945 on this day → all of 1945 →
- Born
- 16th May 1922 at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Died
- in action on 12th May 1945 at Tarakan, North Borneo
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- in the Labuan War Cemetery, Tarakan, North Borneo
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
MACKEY, John Bernard. (reg No. 802).
Corporal. 2nd/3rd Pioneer Battalion, Australian Military Forces.
London Gazetted on 8th November 1945.
Born on 16th May 1922 at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Killed in action on 12th May 1945 at Tarakan, North Borneo.
Memorial on grave in the Labuan War Cemetery, Tarakan, North Borneo. Also on the Australian War Memorial, at Canberra, Australia.
Digest of Citation reads: On the island of Tarakan, North Borneo, on 12th May 1945, Corporal Mackey led his men along a very narrow spur where it was impossible to create a flanking movement. Coming under fire from three well placed Japanese positions, Corporal Mackey made his way forward, charging the first position., where after wrestling with, and killing an enemy soldier, he then rushed at a heavy machine gun post, killing the crew.. Whilst attacking the third position, which was further along the narrow spur, he killed two more of the enemy before he was himself killed.
Alf's notes on his life
Also on the Australian War Memorial, at Canberra, Australia. Digest of Citation reads: On the island of Tarakan, North Borneo, on 12th May 1945, Corporal Mackey led his men along a very narrow spur where it was impossible to create a flanking movement. Coming under fire from three well placed Japanese positions, Corporal Mackey made his way forward, charging the first position., where after wrestling with, and killing an enemy soldier, he then rushed at a heavy machine gun post, killing the crew.. Whilst attacking the third position, which was further along the narrow spur, he killed two more of the enemy before he was himself killed.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: in the Labuan War Cemetery, Tarakan, North Borneo
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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