Canada, Dominion. A Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration to Major MacKay

7th Hussars, 121st Infantry Battalion, 1st Battalion (7th Battalion CEF) 1st British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Ow; Silver gilt, George V (Major A.C.N. MacKAY). Naming is officially engraved on the reverse. Original ribbon with hanger, missing its pinback, extremely fine. In its hardshelled case of issue, maker marked "Royal Mint" on the inside lid, recessed medal bed, name tag on the bottom, case also extremely fine. Accompanied by copies of his Service Records, Certificates of Military Instruction for Officers (Cavalry), along with various letters and correspondence, and a Colour Photocopy of a Studio Collage of Twenty-Three Officers from the 1st Battalion (7th C.E.F.) First British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) (dated 1927, by The Carlton Studio in Vancouver), along an enlarged photo of MacKay from the Collage.

Footnote: Albert Crawford Noble MacKay was born on October 13, 1887 in Gould, Quebec. He enlisted as a Trooper with the 7th Hussars, on June 20, 1903, in Sherbrooke, Quebec, at the age of 15. He attended the Royal School of Cavalry in Toronto, Ontario, where he was named a Sergeant on October 17, 1903, followed by an appointment to Provisional Lieutenant, then named Lieutenant on April 30, 1904. Almost ten years later, with the First World War well underway, he was named a Private with the 6th Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles) on November 15, 1915. MacKay was a resident of Vancouver, British Columbia when he signed his Attestation Paper with the 121st Infantry Battalion "Western Irish" (760961), on January 29, 1916 in New Westminster, British Columbia, at the age of 28, naming his next-of-kin as his mother, Mrs. J.C. MacKay of Vancouver, stating that he had ten years' previous service with the 7th Hussars in Quebec, that he was not married and that his trade was that of Contractor. He could read and write, both English and French. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on February 20, 1916 and served as an Instructor at the Physical Training and Bayonet Fighting (PT & BF) School at the Western Canadian Gymnasium in Winnipeg, Manitoba, effective March 23rd. By the summer of 1916, he had taken Greta Lillian Irwin as his wife, marrying at Vancouver onJune 1st, the ceremony conducted by the Reverend R.J. Wilson. He was transferred to the Royal School of Infantry at Esquimalt, British Columbia on July 28, 1916, before departing for England later that Fall. In England, he was transferred to the 23rd Infantry Battalion "Montreal Battalion" as a Sergeant on October 25, 1916 and posted to the Canadian Training School at Bexhill. Six months later, he was promoted to Lieutenant on April 30, 1917 and was transferred to the 14th Infantry Battalion (Royal Montreal Regiment) for service in the French theatre on August 1, 1917. His European service lasted all of fifty-four days, before he returned to England on September 23rd. He was transferred to the 1st British Columbia Depot Battalion on October 1, 1918, and was placed as a Train Conducting Officer at Clearing Services Command on December 1, 1918, where he remained until he returned to Canada on February 28, 1919. For his First World War Service, MacKay was credited with having served in Canada, the United Kingdom and France and awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Post-war, he was named a Lieutenant with the 1st Battalion (7th Battalion CEF), 1st British Columbia Regiment on September 1, 1921, stating his occupation as that of Accountant. He attended the School of Equitation (equestrian) in Vancouver on April 24, 1923 and was promoted to the rank of Major in January 1924. Five years after his promotion, he failed at the Practical Portion of the Militia Staff Course, held at Camp Sarcee, Alberta from July 14 to 27, 1929 but was encouraged to re-take the exam. He was transferred to the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion in October 1929.