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Auction: 22001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 564

A remarkable ‘Mum’s Army’ civil O.B.E. group of Four awarded to Subaltern D. Mackay, Auxiliary Territorial Service, late First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, whose wartime service inspired her work as an author as well as her tireless efforts in local politics

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, civil division, breast Badge, with ladies bow riband, silver-gilt; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Efficiency Medal, with Territorial Bar (Sub. D. Mackay. A.T.S.), minor contact marks to last, overall very fine (4)

O.B.E. London Gazette 10 June 1961

Dorothy Mackay was born at Durham on 12 April 1909 to a wealthy family, her Great Grandfather having founded Mackay Carpets of Durham. Educated at Durham High School and Queen Margaret’s School, Scarborough she was an exceptional sports woman, playing cricket, lacrosse and hockey for Durham County as well as winning the county golf bronze shield. It is a testament to her character that despite this she modestly stated that she was only ‘called on when they were absolutely stuck’. Mackay’s primary ambition was to be a writer and to that end in 1935 she spent a year in London attempting this career, she failed at this stage and attributed this to a lack of life experience ‘I had barely begun to live’ - however it was a path she was to return to.

A chance meeting with the daughter of the Director General of Exports for the Yugoslavian Government persuaded her to take a trip to the country and Mackay was set to go when her father, worried about Italian aggression, asked her to postpone. This she did and later that week Mussolini invaded Albania, convincing Dorothy, probably quite rightly, that she had a lucky escape.

Turning instead to another course Mackay decided to join the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, which she did two years before the outbreak of war. Their training consisted of First Aid, vehicle maintenance and driving; when the war began they were mobilised immediately. on 1 September 1939. The First Aid Nursing Yeomanry was absorbed into the Auxiliary Territorial Service six months after the outbreak of the war. Becoming a motor transport instructor she spent much of the war dealing with transport, her role mostly being training truck drivers and motorcyclists. Stationed at 7th Headquarters at Gosforth Park, Newcastle with the rank of Motor Sergeant it was here she met her lifelong friend Joan Hudson. Here they were largely involved in driving senior officers to their postings. Posted as Quartermaster to Leicester she found herself acting as a temporary cook while the real cook was on leave. Also here she experienced a number of particularly heavy Blitzes, including one occasion when she was caught out leaving the theatre; after a mile and a half run back to billets they made it to cover.

Applying as an M.T. officer she was called to the Selection Board at Leeds Y.M.C.A.: passing, she was sent to New Battle Abbey, a pre-O.T.C.U. course before going to the Imperial Services College, the Windsor O.T.C.U. Joining her here was her old friend Hudson. Posted to Gresford Camp, near Chester, again aiding in the instruction of lorry drivers, as well as assisting the Quartermaster. After a course with the Royal Army Service Corps she and Hudson were posted to Headquarters 6th Western Command as Transport Officer.

Mackay’s determination not to be sent overseas was rewarded when she was selected with the second draft of Auxiliary Territorial Service on a three-month exchange visit to Canada. Posted to Canadian Headquarters Command, Halifax, she served here for the duration of the exchange before returning to Britain and 6th Western Command where she later became Assistant Adjutant to R.A.S.C. Headquarters, Preston. Shortly before being demobilised Mackay was promoted for a final time to the command of a C.S.D. supplying food; however she wished to leave the army and finally did so after six years of service.

After the war she was immensely active, performing roles in local politics and philanthropy as well as becoming an experienced traveller and finally achieving her childhood dream of becoming an author. Her first book Laughter in Khaki was clearly influenced by her wartime experiences and at one stage she attempted to interest the creator of Dad’s Army in a new series Mum’s Army - again based upon the experiences she had in the war with the A.T.S. At the end of her life Mackay had published five books with the last accepted by the publishers just after her 83rd Birthday. She died on 28 April 1998; sold together with a copied printout of Laughter in Khaki, London Gazette entries and extracts from the Northern Echo written 1991-1992 as well as a Soldiers, Sailors and Airmens Families Association badge with two 10-year clasps and a 15 year clasp named (Miss. D. Mackay OBE joined 1972) and a Royal British Legion commemorative metal poppy.

For the medals of her lifelong friend and colleague in the A.N.S. Joan Hudson see Lot 314.

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Sold for
£260

Starting price
£180