Vincent Patrick Mackey was born and raised in East Melbourne. He attended Christian Brothers College, Parade on Victoria Parade, a short walk from his home at 87 Grey Street. Matriculating at age 13 he was too young to attend the University of Melbourne; he obtained a clerical position at the university and commenced studies in medicine when he turned 16 in May 1906. He did not complete his medical studies and when he enlisted his occupation was "clerk".
Vincent's enlistment was on 18 February 1916. In 1911 his younger brother Leonard died at age 19 of pulmonary tuberculosis and in early 1914 his mother Mary died of tuberculosis, aged 44. These were interesting events given Vincent's subsequent medical history.
At the time of enlistment Vincent was living with his father at 118 Wellington Parade, although the Mackey family home of long-standing was at 87 Grey Street.
At enlistment Vincent Mackey was 5' 8 1/2" and weighed 112 lbs (50.8 kgs). By 3 April after 6 weeks in camp at Broadmeadows his service record shows that he weighed 122 lbs (55.3 kgs).
Vincent departed Australia on 4 April 1916 on HMAT A14 Euripides. Strangely, his service file states in two places (without original documentation) that he enlisted in Albany on 11 April 1916.
Having arrived in France he was involved in the first major Australian conflict on the Western Front at Fromelles on 19 July 1916. He received a gunshot wound ("mild" according to his service record) in the course of this battle. There are no details about the wound, but he was away from the battalion for three and a half weeks.
In his time overseas Vincent served in the 57th Battalion, the 60th Battalion, the 5th Division Salvage Company and finished in the 59th Battalion. Despite his long period of service, his relatively senior age and having attained a very high education level he did not go beyond the rank of private for the duration of the war.
24 March 1919 is recorded in Vincent Mackey's service record as the "date of origin of disability" for the condition that took his life within three and a half years. The "place of origin of disability" was France. The condition was pulmonary tuberculosis, and his service file records that the first signs of the disease occurred at Christmas 1916. Subsequent diagnosis declared that he had "100% total disability" and that it was "due to warlike operations" and "aggravated by service and climate".
Vincent spent time in Fulham Hospital in London and the Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford, Kent, before leaving for Australia on No.1 Australian Hospital Ship A63 Karoola on 6 May 1919. The Karoola arrived in Melbourne on 24 June 1919.
Vincent Mackey died at Macleod Sanatorium on 29 August 1922. He had been discharged from the Army on 12 April 1920. Between arriving back in Melbourne and his death it seems that he spent most of his time at the Macleod Sanatorium, apart from a period of about 6 weeks. According to family legend he spent that time in a temporary sleep-out that had been constructed for him at 87 Grey Street.
Interestingly, about 10 weeks before his discharge he was fined by the Army for being AWL from the sanatorium for 9 hours from midday one day. The fine was 10 shillings and forfeiture of a day's pay. On the face of it an unnecessary and heartless imposition.
Intriguingly his service file records correspondence between the Tax Office and Army Records in 1917, with the Tax Office wanting to know his whereabouts, pursuant to the provisions of the Income Tax Assessment Act.
I am indebted to Vincent's nephew, Peter Mackey, for some of the information provided for this article.
