Lance Sergeant Thomas McKay
Service Number 24021239
Campaign:
Northern Ireland
Died:
28.10.1972
2SG
Shot dead by a sniper while on mobile patrol in Bishop Street in Londonderry
Lance-Sergeant Thomas McKay, 2nd Battalion The Scots Guards, was killed in Londonderry. He had been travelling in the back of an army Land Rover which was fired on by an IRA sniper - he was struck in the head, rushed to Altnagelvin Hospital along with a child who had also been hit, but he died shortly afterwards.
His killing was described by the coroner as "a horrible, un-Christian act," and he went on to say "This is another of those seemingly endless murders. I fail to understand how anyone who professes to be a Christian can lift up a rifle and shoot someone they don't know who is doing them no harm." Lance-Sergeant McKay's killing was the 659th in the Troubles.
Thomas, from Edinburgh, was 29 years old and married with two sons, one age four and the other eleven months.
Memorial(s):
| Country | Location | Name of Memorial | Campaign | Names | Date(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | Glasgow Cathedral Cathedral Square Glasgow Glasgow Strathclyde G4 0RH | Glasgow Cathedral Memorial Plaque to Scots Guardsmen killed in Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland |
Thomas McKay | 28-10-1972 | View |
Further information:
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- Who or what formation of the Regiment is named on the memorial. What event, dates or other inscriptions on the memorial.
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Please sent any information that you find to: Michael Campbell-Lamerton
As the information on the database builds up Michael Campbell-Lamerton will be sending regular updates to Archives at RHQ who remains the point of contact about for inquiries on past members of the Regiment.
