Angus George Mackay was born in 1920 in Talmine, son of Hugh Mackay of Altnaharra and Eliza Ross. They were married in 1919 in Tain. Hisfather was employed as a gamekeeper in Skerray he lived in Melness with his grandmother and aunt.
Angus was a member of the Territorial Army serving in the 1 Battalion, Lovat Scouts with ‘C’ Squadron, which recruited from Sutherland, Ross-shire and part of Caithness. The role of the Squadron was observation and reconnaissance with one pony to every four men; the rest of the section was mounted on bicycles.
On the 3 of September 1939, the Lovat Scouts were mobilised with the rest of the T.A. as Britain declared war on Nazi Germany. The battalion gathered at Beauly to begin intense training with the squadrons deployed to the outlying areas; ‘C’ Squadron and the men from Sutherlandshire began training at Strathpeffer.
On the 21 of May the battalion was moved to Glasgow to embark on the Steamship ‘Ulster Prince’ bound for the Faeroe Islands. The 1 Lovat Scouts were to remain in the Faeroe Islands from 25 of May 1940 until June 1942, to guard against the threat of invasion. The main task of the battalion, if invasion happened, was to defend the main towns of Thorshaven and Skaalefjord to the last man and last round. The Lovat Scouts were relieved on the 10 of June 1942 by the 12 Battalion Cameronians, returning home by ship to Invergorden and leave. In July 1942 the battalion was sent to Halkirk, except for the 4 Company, which was sent on Exercise X, the guarding of the Royal family at Balmoral.
The battalion was returned to Liverpool on the 9th of June 1944 and sent on leave, after their leave was over the Scouts sailed for Italy to join the 8 Army. On the 29 of July the battalion arrived in Italy on the Steamship ‘Queen of Bermuda’ and by August was in the thick of the fighting.
Corporal Angus Mackay was killed in action, when he was shot by a sniper, on patrol on the 15 of September 1944, aged 24 years. (See also Corporal James Gunn, Skerray). The Lovat Scouts remained in the frontline until the Italian front cease-fire took effect on the 5 of May 1945.
The Lovat Scouts returned to the United Kingdom in October 1946 and was disbanded.
SCOTTISH NATIONAL WAR MEMORIAL EDINBURGH CASTLE Mackay Angus G. 322453. Corporal. (b) Sutherland. Killed in Action in Italy 19-9-44. Lovat Scouts.
COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION Mackay Corporal Angus George 322453. Lovat Scouts. 15 September 1944. Age 24. Son of Hugh and Eliza Mackay of Altnaharra, Sutherlandshire. Plot III. Row D. Grave 19.
Corporal Angus George Mackay 322453 Lovat Scouts is buried in a war grave at AREZZO WAR CEMETERY, ITALY.