2nd Lieut H.F.E. Mackesy

2nd Lieutenant Henry Frederick Ernest MACKESY
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MACKESY
2nd Lieutenant Henry Frederick Ernest

No. 13/25, 4th (Waikato) Sqn., Auckland Mounted Rifles, New Zealand Expeditionary Force (enlisted as Sergeant).

Born 8 December 1882, in Kansas, USA.

Educated: Unknown.

Married; Commercial Traveller (employed by Mason Struthers & Co.), of Kamo, Whangarei, New Zealand.

Next Of Kin: Wife; Gertrude Anne Mackesy (nee Barnes), of 76 Vauxhall Road, Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand.

Photos of Lieutenant Mackesy are known to exist in the following:
Auckland Weekly News 26 Aug 1915 p38. Auckland Weekly News 16 Sep 1915 p38


Killed in action
6th August 1915
at Old No.3 Outpost, northern Anzac sector
Aged 32





4th (Waikato) Badge
4th (Waikato) Sqn. Auckland Mounted Rifles, NZEF

Libertas et Natale Solum
(Liberty and Homeland)


Grave:
NZ No. 2 Outpost Cemetery



Notes:


CWGC lists NOK (in addition to wife) as: Father; Col. C.E.R. Mackesy, D.S.O. Mother; Jessie Mackesy, of Kaimo, Whangarei, NZ. (Also Canterbury Times 18 Aug 1915 p59). Father reported wounded, wife listed as 'Mrs L.C. Mackesy'. (Lyttleton Times 4 Sep 1915 p14).

Father also at Anzac. Was for a time in charge of Harrison Bros. refrigerating plant at Whangarei. Was afterwards the manager of Parua Bay Co-operative butter factory. Brother, Captain Charles Mackesy, was wounded at Anzac. Was Sergeant - promoted for meritorious service in the field. Married the eldest daughter of Mr Thomas Barnes of Kaimo. Left two young children. (Auckland Weekly News 19 Aug 1915 p21).

Embarked from New Zealand 13 Oct 1914. Disembarked Alexandria 3 Dec 1914.

2 children. Phillis Gertrude Mackesy b. 24 Dec 1912 Coromandel NZ. Melville Charles Mackesy b. 28 Sep 1914 Whangarei NZ.

'The Mackesys are of a fighting Irish family, their ancestors having served in the British army in the Crimea, Indian Mutiny, and the Peninsula War. Colonel Mackesy's grandfather was Rector of Tipperary.' Brother; Captain Charles Mackesy wounded 9 Aug. (The Dominion 4 Sep 1915 p5).

'Lieut. Mackesy left New Zealand as a sergeant in the Auckland Mounted Rifles, and was later promoted to the rank of lieutenant. His soldiering commenced in 1901, when he joined the Marsden Mounted Rifles, and at the time of enlisting was a lieutenant in the North Auckland Mounteds. He however resigned his commission and accepted the sergeant's stripes in order to get away immediately. Lieut. Mackesey was born in Canada, and later took up farming pursuits in New Zealand. His father, Lieut-Colonel C. R. E. Mackesy, and his brother, Captain [Charles] Mackesy, are also serving with the New Zealanders at the Dardanelles.' (The Dominion 13 Aug 1915 p6).

Brother, Captain C. Mackesy wounded, in hospital at Alexandria. Lieut Mackesy promoted 'for meritorious service.' (New Zealand Herald 24 Jun 1915 p9).

Killed in the night advance on Sari Bair, while capturing Old No. 3 Outpost: 'Only some forty of the enemy were in the trenches, and most of the North Auckland squadron, leaving the front line to Waikato, who followed, ran jumping over the saps till they reached the rear slope. Here they came upon most of the garrison, who, apparently according to custom, had been resting there during the nightly bombardment. These Turks, and several hundred others who had been encamped behind the hill on the slopes of Chailak Dere, fled wildly, the Aucklanders bayonetting and bombing them. After the single cheer there was little noise except the rifle-fire of the Turks. About 100 of the enemy were killed, while the Aucklanders lost only Lieutenant H. F. E. Mackesy and 6 men killed and 15 wounded.' (Bean V2 569).

'10 o'clock, magazines empty, bayonets fixed, we charged No 3 Outpost. Turks fled, 2 Turks bayonetted with dynamo [dynamite] ready to blow up the hill, Lieut Mackesy & J. Mac-Cassack killed. (before 10.30pm, as next section of diary begins at that time). (Diary, Tpr Joseph Law, entry for 6 August 1915).


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