The AIF Project

Thomas Symington McKAY

Regimental number377
Place of birthWest Hindmarsh, South Australia
SchoolWest Hindmarsh Public School, South Australia
ReligionBaptist
OccupationCarpenter
AddressEllen Street, Croydon Park, South Australia
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation21
Next of kinMother, Mrs M E McKay, Ellen Street, Croydon Park, South Australia
Enlistment date3 February 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll8 February 1915
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name27th Battalion, B Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/44/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong on 31 May 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll27th Battalion
FateDied of disease 29 September 1915
Place of death or woundingGallipoli (died of Enteric Fever)
Age at death22
Age at death from cemetery records22
Place of burialAt sea
Commemoration detailsThe Lone Pine Memorial (Panel 67), Gallipoli, Turkey

The Lone Pine Memorial, situated in the Lone Pine Cemetery at Anzac, is the main Australian Memorial on Gallipoli, and one of four memorials to men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Designed by Sir John Burnet, the principal architect of the Gallipoli cemeteries, it is a thick tapering pylon 14.3 metres high on a square base 12.98 metres wide. It is constructed from limestone mined at Ilgardere in Turkey.

The Memorial commemorates the 3268 Australians and 456 New Zealanders who have no known grave and the 960 Australians and 252 New Zealanders who were buried at sea after evacuation through wounds or disease. The names of New Zealanders commemorated are inscribed on stone panels mounted on the south and north sides of the pylon, while those of the Australians are listed on a long wall of panels in front of the pylon and to either side. Names are arranged by unit and rank.

The Memorial stands over the centre of the Turkish trenches and tunnels which were the scene of heavy fighting during the August offensive. Most cemeteries on Gallipoli contain relatively few marked graves, and the majority of Australians killed on Gallipoli are commemorated here.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
110
Family/military connectionsBrother: Lt William Stewart McKAY, 50th Bn, killed in action, 24 April 1918; Cousins: 2014 Sapper James Haining SINCLAIR, 5th Divisional Signal Company, killed in action, 31 July 1917; 2225 Pte John Archibald Halliday SINCLAIR, 13th Field Artillery Brigade, returned to Australia, 13 February 1917.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

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