b. 27/06/1882 Dundee, Scotland. d. 13/11/1927 Murchison, New Zealand.
DATE OF AM ACTION: 26/01/1912 Lane Cove, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
William D McKay AM
McKay was born in Dundee, Scotland on 27th June 1882, the son of William McKay, a mercantile clerk and Margaret McKay. On 13th March 1911 he married Anne Kinnear Martin at Lockee, Scotland. They travelled to Australia, where not long after his arrival, he performed the deed which led to the award of the Albert Medal. His son, William Robert was born on 13th March 1912. In 1913, the family moved to New Zealand where his son, Robert was born in 1914. He and Anne would later have two daughters.
AM CITATION:
While James Edward Morgan was bathing at Lane Cove, Sydney, New South Wales, on the 26th of January, 1912, he was attacked by a shark when some distance from the shore. In response to his cries for help, Alfred Barlow and William D. McKay, who were in the water, went to his assistance, and succeeded in bringing him to land. While they wereactually engaged in doing so, the shark made a second attack. on Morgan, and inflicted injuries to which he succumbed. The rescuers were fully aware of their danger, and incurred very considerable risk in rendering their services.
BURIAL LOCATION: MURCHISON CEMETERY, MURCHISON, NEW ZEALAND.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
