Sergeant Ian Mackay was a member of 3 Para The Parachute Regiment. 3 Para was tasked with the attack on Mount Longdon on June 11^th. Sergeant Mackay was in 4 Platoon B Company 3 Para.

 

Mackay was born on May 7^th 1953 in Wortley, Yorkshire.

 

Argentine machine gun emplacements on Mount Longdon were well placed. 3 Para’s advance up the slopes of Longdon was hard and on numerous occasions the accurate fire of the Argentineans was such that the advance was halted.

 

It was during one of these lulls in the advance that a group of 3 Para led by Mackay charged a machine gun post that seemed to be doing most of the damage to men advancing up the slopes of Longdon.

 

The charge to this machine gun was successful but the body of Mackay was found by men following up from 3 Para whose advance up Mount Longdon had been given new impetus.

 

Ian Mackay died on June 12^th, 1982. He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his bravery. His citations states:

 

“During the night of 11/12 June 1982, 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment mounted a silent night attack on an enemy battalion position on Mount Longdon, an important objective in the battle for Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands. Sergeant McKay was platoon sergeant of 4 Platoon, B Company, which after the initial objective had been secured, was ordered to clear the northern side of the long east/west ridge feature, held by the enemy in depth, with strong mutually supporting positions.

By now the enemy were fully alert, and resisting fiercely. As 4 Platoon’s advance continued it came under increasingly heavy fire from a number of well-sited enemy machine gun positions on the ridge, and received casualties. Realizing that no further advance was possible, the platoon commander ordered the platoon to move from its exposed position to seek shelter among the rocks of the ridge itself. Here it met up with part of 5 Platoon.

The enemy fire was still both heavy and accurate, and the position of the platoons was becoming increasingly hazardous. Taking Sergeant McKay, a corporal and a few others, and covered by supporting machine gun fire, the platoon commander moved forward to reconnoitre the enemy positions but was hit by a bullet in the leg, and command devolved upon Sergeant McKay.

It was clear that instant action was needed if the advance was not to falter and increasing casualties to ensue. Sergeant McKay decided to convert this reconnaissance into an attack in order to eliminate the enemy positions. He was in no doubt of the strength and deployment of the enemy as he undertook this attack. He issued orders, and taking three men with him, broke cover and charged the enemy position.

The assault was met by a hail of fire. The corporal was seriously wounded, a private killed and another wounded. Despite these losses, Sergeant McKay, with complete disregard for his own safety, continued to charge the enemy position alone. On reaching it he dispatched the enemy with grenades, thereby relieving the position of beleaguered 4 and 5 Platoons, who were now able to re-deploy with relative safety. Sergeant McKay, however, was killed at the moment of victory, his body falling on the bunker.

Without doubt Sergeant McKay’s action retrieved a most dangerous situation and was instrumental in ensuring the success of the attack. His was a coolly calculated act, the dangers of which must have been only too apparent to him beforehand. Undeterred he performed with outstanding selflessness, perseverance and courage. With a complete disregard for his own safety, he displayed courage and leadership of the highest order, and was an inspiration to all those around him.”