A GREATLY EMOTIVE “ARRAS” (5th GORDONS) CASUALTY
1914-15 Trio, & original WW1 aluminium Dog Tag.
To:
1396 & 240111 Sgt Peter Mackie,
5th GORDON HIGHLANDERS.

KILLED-IN-ACTION 16th/17th MAY 1917
(Last Day, Battle of Arras)

1/5th (Buchan and Formartin) Battalion Gordon Highlanders.
August 1914 : at Peterhead. Part of Gordon Brigade in the Highland Division.
Moved to Bedford.
3 May 1915 : landed at Boulogne.

[BIOGRAPHY] 1892-1917
Peter Mackie was born in the Dundee area in about 1892, and was of Presbyterian persuasion.
He landed in France on 3rd May 1915 and was admitted to hospital with Shell Shock for 6 days in about October 1916. According to the hospital admission & discharge book he had by October 1916 served in the army for almost 5 years. So it seems he signed up in late 1911 and served at home until arriving in France with 5th in May 1915.

Looking at the situation and the notation on Peter’s Medal Index Card, it’s almost certain that he was actually Killed in Action on the very last day of The Battle of Arras which was 16th May, but he was actually only seen & recorded dead on 17th with his dog tags being recovered on this day. Peter left his father Mr James Mackie the sum of £20/15s/11d who was further granted a dependent’s pension of 9/- per week & later 12/6d until his death on 26th November 1920.

[SUMMARY]
This is a very emotive and sad casualty group which after just a short reflection clearly illustrates the bare facts of the operational realities on the ground when a man was killed in action on the Battlefield.

With Peter Mackie’s trio is his original aluminium Dog Tag stamped
P.MACKIE 5th GORDON HIGHrs PRES 1396

The Dog Tag was quite clearly recovered from his body on the Arras battlefield by a fellow soldier or his officer on 17th May. The sad facts are that this was almost certainly the last time Peter was ever seen by anyone as he was clearly Lost Without Trace with his body never being recovered for burial. He was just 25 years old.

Peter Mackie is thus Remembered with Eternal Honour on the Arras Memorial to the missing, France.

LEST WE FORGET THE PRICE OF OUR FREEDOM

Comes with CWG copy research papers & MIC. Medals are GVF/EF with slight staining on the victory medal.
With original issue WW1 silk & cotton ribbons.

AN EXCELLENT TRIO & DOG TAG WHICH WOULD MAKE A FINE ADDITION TO A SERIOUS SCOTS MEDAL COLLECTION.

£495