Paddy Byrne, Unknown, Ern Ricketts, Front: Chris McLennan, Bill McKay
Photograph taken Jan 2018 Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
As a POW at Selarang, Singapore McKay was selected with ‘D’ Force Thailand V Battalion to work on Burma-Thai Railway. V Battalion departed Singapore Railway Station for a 4-5 day crowded journey to Bampong, Thailand.
V Battalion endured a very high casualty rate with many lives lost to tropical illnesses and very very challenging work/living conditions and Japanese brutality.
Tragically Bill McKay died 23 Sept 1943 of acute enteritis at Hindaine Camp, Thailand aged 35 years. Several 2/4th men died at this miserable POW Camp on the Burma-Thai Railway.
‘D’ Force V Battalion Group 6 were here from 10 July 1943 to 31st August 1943. This camp was under canvas and as usual the tents would not do what they were designed to do. They provided no protection from the rain and tropical elements.
Major Alf Cough Officer, 2/4th, in charge Australian POWs wrote:
‘This camp is just hell, the whole area a sea of black stinking mud, very little food; and men dying every day. For the last three weeks we have eaten nothing but rice and dried fish; for three weeks prior to that we had rice and dried cabbage at the rate of one cupful of rice plus a dessert spoon of fish or cabbage. The men cannot last much longer unless we get some decent food and medical supplies. I am tired of reading burial services and watching my men die without being able to lift a hand to help them; they are full of courage and keep their chins up until the last moment.’
Bill was born 1908 Golspie, Scotland to parents Hugh McKay and Sarah Mcangus. Sarah died of illness aged 44 years in 1918. His father died Scotland in 1957.
We know Bill had a brother in Perth, Jock and his wife Ivy.
Bill arrived from London on 16 July 1929 on ‘Balranald’ to Fremantle at the age of 18 years. His occupation was recorded as farm labourer.
In 1936 and 1937 Electoral Rolls he was recorded residing Daveyhurst, Mt Magnet working as a prospector. Daveyhurst was established about 1900 and has had several operating gold mines since then.
When he enlisted Bill was recorded residing at Ora Banda, Mr Magnet.
Bill was a close mate of Frank Halbert WX8250 also from the Goldfields. Halbert and McKay were with ‘C’ Coy, 10th Platoon. Halbert died of cholera on 4 June 1943 with ‘F’ Force at Shimo Sonnkurai, Thailand aged 35 years.
Below: Frank Halbert
Bil was also mates with WX6155 Paddy Byrne who had been working as a miner (also 10 Platoon). Byrne arrived Java (one of about 99 soldiers from 2/4th) having missed ‘Aquitania’ to Singapore. In Java he became ill, admitted to hospital from 18 Feb to 25 Feb 1942. Paddy was evacuated out with other patients on virtually the last ship from Java, and sailed to Ceylon. He was then sent to Australia. Paddy sadly, died in a mining accident at Boulder in 1951 aged 57 years.
Below: Byrne
Leo Patrick (Paddy) Byrne was also in ‘C’ Coy , 10 Platoon with McKay.
The following in information has been provided by Bill’s family – Shirley Sutherland from UK, February 2026.
Bill’s parents Hugh MacKay and Sarah Macangus married 22 Nov 1901 at Free Presbyterian Church, Lairg. Hugh, a railway surfaceman from Portgower, Loth married Sarah, a housemaid from Corstorphine, Edinburgh.
In 1911 the MacKay family were residing Kirkton, Colspie. Hugh was a railway surfaceman. Both Hugh and Sarah spoke both Gaelic and English. They had been married for thirteen years(sic) and had five children, all living.
The family lived at the Gate House, Kirkton (not there anymore) and then moved into what we know as the “Clachan” which is in the woods between Golspie and Drummuie (information from Shirley Sutherland).
In 1918 Sarah died at Kirkton, Golspie two days after giving birth to her youngest son Hugh. She was 44 years old. Her husband signed the death certificate.
They had following children:
JOHN MACKAY born 4 September 1902 Portgower, Loth – 1911 census at home, scholar aged 8 years.
*We believe John (Jock) went to West Australia to live. His wife Ivy, Jock placed a death notice in West Australian newspaper for Bill’s death in August 1945.
ANDREW MACKAY born 13 May 1904 Portgower, Loth – 1911 census at home, scholar age 6 years. Died 30th October 1946, farm labourer, single at Ben Bhraggie Cottage, Drummuie, Golspie – buried with parents
ANNABELLA MACKAY born 3 January 1906 Kirkton, Golspie – 1911 census at home aged 5 years – alive in 1957.
WILLIAM MACKAY born 2 July 1908 Kirkton, Golspie – 1911 census at home aged 3 years – sometime prior to World War Two William had emigrated to Australia – see obituaries. Enlisted 2/4th MGB, 8th Division AIF – died 1943 as POW of Japan working on Burma-Thai Railway, WW2
DAVID MACKAY born 26th June 1910 Kirkton. Golspie – 1911 census at home aged 9 months – in 1946 signed brother Andrew’s death certificate – in 1948 married Jamesina Mackay.
DONALD MACKAY born 29 September 1915 Kirkton Gate, Golspie – in 1948 a witness at brother David’s wedding – in 1957 a mourner at brother David’s funeral – in 1958 died 18th April, Golspie hospital – usual residence Lindsay Street, Golspie (NT) see obituaries
HUGH MACKAY born 22nd July 1918 Kirkton, Golspie – his mother died when he was two days old – in 1958 signed brother Donald’s death certificate, living Embley Lane nr. Romsey, Hants.
’We regret to intimate the death in hospital last Friday of Mr Donald Mackay, 9 Lindsay Street, at the early age of 42. His death was all the more tragic for it was only last October that an elder brother (David) died in hospital, while his father died less than a year ago. A son of the late Mr and Mrs Hugh Mackay, Donald had been employed all his working life with Alexander Sutherland, Ltd., building contractors, Golspie, and like David had earned the high respect and admiration of the firm’s directors and of his workmates. Mr Donald Mackay, who served in the last war, had many excellent qualities, and perhaps the chief characteristics were his unfailing courtesy and sympathetic outlook on life. He was ever quiet and unassuming and there is no doubt that his employers will mourn the loss of a loyal worker and personal friend. He was a regular attender at Golspie Free Church. Mr Mackay who was unmarried had not been in good health for some time but after treatment in hospital at Inverness and Edinburgh he had returned home with better prospects of recovery, but then came a recurrence of his illness. The funeral was to Golspie Cemetery last Monday when the services were conducted by the Rev. H M Ferrier, Free Church.’’ (NT25/04/1958)
2) In 1921 Hugh MacKay a widowed railway surfaceman from Kirkton, Golspie married Jane Macleod, a widow also from Kirkton, Golspie on 29th July at 10 Bridge Street, Wick. Jane died in 1950.
In 1957 Hugh MacKay retired railway lengthman, died Lindsay Street, Golspie aged 86 years. (His son Donald Mackay signed death certificate.) Hugh’s death certificate tells that both his first and second wives had pre-deceased him.
Hugh and his first wife Sarah are buried in Golspie new cemetery.
In 1957 Hugh, a retired railway lengthman, died at Lindsay Street, Golspie aged 86 years.
“With the death of Mr. Hugh Mackay, 9 Lindsay Street, Golspie last Friday the community has lost one of its oldest and most highly respected citizens. He was 86. Mr Mackay who was a railway lengthsman for 37 years, began work on the permanent way at Portgower and later went to Kirkton Gates, where he combined the duties of gatekeeper with his ordinary employment. After his retirement in 1935 he worked at Dunrobin Home Farm and then at Dunrobin nurseries. Later he was gardener at the Lawson Memorial Hospital. All his life Mr Mackay was keenly interested in gardening and before he came to live in the village he was at The Clachan, Drummuie, where he cultivated a variety of vegetables. He was a regular attender at Free Church services until he suffered a severe leg injury in an accident at his home. Predeceased by his wife, Mr Mackay had a family of seven sons and one daughter of whom four sons and the daughter survive. One son, William, who served with the Australian Forces in the last war, died in a Japanese concentration camp. Mr Mackay’s funeral was to Golspie cemetery last Monday when the services were shared by the Rev. H. M. Ferrier (Golspie Free Church) and the Rev. Robert C. Alston (Golspie Church of Scotland”). (NT 21/06/1957)
Bill MacKay’s name has been included on the Colspie, Scotland WW2 Memorial
Above: Bill MacKay’s name is seventh from top left:
WILLIAM MACKAY PTE A.I.F.
Celtic Cross: All decoration is set in relief on bronze plaques that are attached to the faces of the memorial, both 6o’clock &12 o’clock. The WW1 names plaque is on the 6o’clock face, the WW2 plaque on the 12 o’clock face.
