Although Alexander Mackay was born in Ednburgh, his family retained strong links with Tongue, and he married a Tongue girl. He and Jessie settled on the family croft, probably at the time of their marriage in 1935 in Tongue. Alex is the only World War Two death on Tongue War Memorial. 5
Alexander married Jessie Mary Ann MACKAY [383] [MRIN: 170], daughter of William Colin MACKAY, "3" [4061] and Catherine MACKAY [4129], on 18 Oct 1935 in Tongue, SUT.1 (Jessie Mary Ann MACKAY [383] was born on 29 Jan 1913 in Island Roan, Tongue, SUT, Scotland 67 and died in 1998 in SRY, England 8.)
Sources
1
Tongue Marriages 1935 056-/1. 18 October 1935 at Borgie Tongue; F.C. banns ALEXANDER MACKAY 28 bachelor, gillie Scullomie Tongue John Mackay retired police inspector Mary Mackay ms Waters JESSIE MARY ANN MACKAY 22 spinster, home worker Borgie, Tongue William Colin Mackay crofter Catherine ms Mackay witnesses Robert H Mackay Strathtongue Tongue Hughina Mackay Borgie Tongue.
2
Commonwealth War GraveS Commission website - Alick Mackay. Name: MACKAY, ALEXANDER, Initials: A Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sergeant (Flt. Engr.) Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 427 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn. Age: 37 Date of Death: 09/08/1944 Service No: 1825581 Additional information: Son of John and Mary Mackay; husband of Jessie M. A. Mackay, of Tongue, Sutherlandshire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot 10. Row C. Grave 9. Cemetery: BOULOGNE EASTERN CEMETERY
3
Alasdair Sutherland, Never More. The Story of Tongue, Melness & Skerray War Memorials, pp.61-64 (Woodend Publishing, Tongue). ALICK MACKAY, Scullomie
4
The Scotsman Newspaper Archive, The Scotsman, 19th May 1945. DEATHS - MACKAY. - Previously reported missing, now officially presumed killed, 9th August 1944, ALEX., Sergeant Flight-Engineer, R.A.F., dearly loved eldest son of the late JOHN MACKAY and Mrs MACKAY, 61 Restalrig Road, Leith, and dear husband of Jessie, Scullomie, Tongue, Sutherland.
6
Tongue Births 1913 056/06 (Jessie Mary Ann Mackay). JESSIE MARY ANN MACKAY, female born 29th January 1913 Island Roan, Tongue father William Colin Mackay, fisherman mother Catherine Mackay ms Mackay married 25th September 1901 Thurso informant father, present.
8
Tongue Grave Misc.011 Jessie Mackay (Coldbackie PO). JESSIE M.A. MACKAY, born Island Roan 1913, died Surrey 1998. Lived in Scullomie and Coldbackie P.O. Widow of ALEX MACKAY who was lost over France in 1944. The dearly loved mother of JOHN, WILLIAM and ELIZABETH.
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