Military service
Burial/memorial information
Brother of Arthur McKay, Royal Canadian Air Force, and Private Lloyd McKay; both survived the war.
He served in Québec, in New Brunswick, in Newfoundland with Force W and in Hong Kong with Force C. Wounded in action on 20 December 1941, admitted to the St. Stephen hospital, where he was a victim of the massacre of December 25.
1939-1945 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-1945, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp.
Digital gallery of Rifleman John McKay
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Memorial
Rifleman JOHN MCKAY is one of 30 members of the Royal Rifles of Canada, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps who are commemorated on this panel of the Sai Wan Memorial. He was one of 290 Canadian soldiers killed during the defense of Hong Kong, from December 8th to December 25th, 1941. According to information compiled by Vincent Lopata and posted at the Hong Kong Veteran¿s Commorative Association website, Rifleman MCKAY was murdered by the Japanese at the St. Stephen¿s College. http://www.cforce.hkvca.ca/battledeaths.htm -
Inscription
Dedicatory inscription of the SAI WAN MEMORIAL. This memorial bears the names of more than 2,000 Commonwealth servicemen, including 228 Canadians. -
Newspaper clipping
Rifleman JOHN MCKAY was reported to have Died of Wounds in the Canadian Army's 243rd overseas casualty list of the war published in the Globe and Mail on January 8, 1943. -
Canada and the Defence of Hong Kong.
Source: Veterans Affairs Canada. -
Canada and the Defence of Hong Kong.
Source: Veterans Affairs Canada. -
Newspaper Clipping
Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me -
Circumstances of death registers
Digital gallery of
Rifleman John McKay
Digital gallery of
Rifleman John McKay
Digital gallery of
Rifleman John McKay
Digital gallery of
Rifleman John McKay
Digital gallery of
Rifleman John McKay
Digital gallery of
Rifleman John McKay
Digital gallery of
Rifleman John McKay
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 38 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
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