"Brothers in Arms" - Edward and Andrew Mackin
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| 1. Pte John Edward Mackin, 7th Bn. Somerset L.I. |
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| 2. Pte Andrew Mackin, Yorks & Lancs Regt |
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| 3. CWGC headstone of Pte. John Edward Mackin [Reichswald War Cemetery, Germany (October 2012)] |
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| 4 CWGC headstone of Pte. Andrew Mackin [Bayeux War Cemetery, France (July 2004)] |
Pte John Edward Mackin,
Killed in Action, Germany (27.03.1945)
Pte Andrew Mackin, Yorks & Lancs Regt.
Died of Wounds, France (03.07.1944)
Died of Wounds, France (03.07.1944)
Photographs No. 1 & 2, courtesy of 'The Whitehaven News'
Photograph No. 3, courtesy of Jonathan Ball, 'WW2 Talk'
Photograph No. 3, courtesy of Jonathan Ball, 'WW2 Talk'
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For additional information click on 'Comments' below.
posted by ritsonvaljos at 9:39 pm
2 Comments:
Additional information
(a) Family background
John Edward Mackin and Andrew Mackin from Whitehaven, Cumberland were brothers in arms who both lost their lives during WW2. Their parents were John Mackin and Sarah Mackin (nee Tyrrell). They had two younger sisters, Kathleen and Mary. Sarah Mackin passed away in 1939 shortly before the outbreak of the war.
Andrew Mackin died of wounds while serving in Normandy on 3 July 1944 and is buried in the Bayeux War Cemetery. His obituary in 'The Whitehaven News' (July 1944) reads as follows;
"DIED OF WOUNDS
Pte. Andrew Mackin, second son of Mr and the late Mrs J. Mackin, Windermere Road, Woodhouse, Whitehaven has died of wounds in Normandy. Aged 25, he joined the Army in 1939 and served in Norway, Iceland and France with an infantry unit. His elder brother, John, is also serving in Normandy".
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Pte. John Edward Mackin, who had also served in Normandy, was killed in action on 27 March 1945 following the Allied crossing of the Rhine. His obituary in 'The Whitehaven News' (April 1945) reads as follows:
"FOUGHT FANATICAL GERMANS
Serving with the Somerset Light Infantry on the Continent, Pte. John Mackin (29), elder son of Mr and the late Mrs J. Mackin, Windermere Road, Whitehaven, has been killed in action. It was only last July that Mr Mackin received word that his other son Andrew had been killed in Normandy. Before joining the Forces in 1940, John served his apprenticeship with Mr. I. Skinner, painter and decorator, Whitehaven.
Major K.J. Whitehead, M.C. has written to the bereaved father stating that Pte. Mackin was killed by a mortar bomb at the close of a hard day's fighting against fanatical S.S. and paratroopers on the Rhine. He expressed regret at the loss of a splendid and popular soldier, also adding that the Whitehaven soldier was buried in the bridgehead cemetery".
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Edward and Andrew Mackin are commemorated in the Borough of Whitehaven WW2 'Book of Remembrance'. They are also commemorated on the WW2 memorial of St Begh's R.C. Parish, Whitehaven, Cumbria.
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(b) CWGC citations
This is the CWGC citation for John Edward Mackin:
Name: MACKIN, JOHN EDWARD
Rank: Private
Service No: 981617
Date of Death: 27/03/1945
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: Somerset Light Infantry, 7th Bn.
Grave Reference: 56. D. 5.
Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY, Germany
Additional Information:
Son of John and Sarah Jane Mackin, of Whitehaven, Cumberland.
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This is the CWGC citation for Andrew Mackin:
Name: MACKIN, ANDREW
Rank: Private
Service No: 4748413
Date of Death: 03/07/1944
Age: 26
Regiment/Service: York and Lancaster Regiment, The Hallamshire Bn.
Grave Reference: VIII. B. 13.
Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY, France
Additional Information:
Son of John and Sarah Jane Mackin, of Whitehaven, Cumberland.
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(c) Further reading
To read the BBC "People's War" article about Edward and Andrew Mackin, which was also written by the author of this article, click on the following link:
Andrew and Edward Mackin (BBC "People's War" story)
“Pray that their sacrifice was not in vain.”
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The family epitaphs
Photograph No. 3 (above) shows the headstone of Private John Edward Mackin which is in Reichswald War Cemetery, Germany. His epitaph written on the headstone reads as follows:
"Pray for the soul of John,
On whose soul,
Sweet Jesus have mercy".
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Photograph No. 4 shows the headstone of Private Andrew Mackin, which is in Bayeux War Cemetery, France. His epitaph on the headstone is similar to that of his brother and reads as follows:
"Of Your Charity
Pray for the soul of Andrew
On whose soul
Sweet Jesus have mercy".
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