Charles Mackesy

Charles Ernest Randolph Mackesy was born in Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland on 9 January 1861 to Ernest Randolph Mackesy and his wife. His father, a former officer in the 97th Regiment of Foot, had recently purchased a farm near Whangarei, in New Zealand, but died there a few months prior to the birth of his son. As a child, his family contributed to Mackesy's education which he received while living in several European countries. As a young man, he moved to the United States where he met Jessie Adam. The couple was married in the town of Dalis Peak, Kansas, in November 1880.[1]

In the 1890s, Mackesy moved to Whangarei to take up farming on his father's land which had been close to being repossessed due to non-payment of rates. His wife, and their three children, followed shortly afterwards. He soon turned the farm into a profitable enterprise and later set up a land agency.[1] He became active in politics, unsuccessfully contesting the 1899 election in the Marsden electorate.[2][3]

Another interest of Mackesy's was the military and in 1900, he joined the Marsden Mounted Rifles, a unit of the Volunteer Force. A successful citizen soldier, by 1911 he had reached the rank of lieutenant colonel and was commander of the 11th (North Auckland) Mounted Rifles.[1]

On the outbreak of the First World War, Mackesy volunteered for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) being raised for military service overseas in aid of the war effort.[1] He was given command of the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment (AMR) and oversaw its training at Epson Camp.[4] Sent to the Middle East with the main body of the NZEF, the AMR, sans their horses which were left back in Egypt, served at Gallipoli from May 1915. He was a well regarded officer, noted for his initiative but he also gained a reputation for being outspoken.[1]

The AMR, on arriving at Gallipoli, initially defended the lines at Walker's Ridge[5] and here Mackesy fought in the Third attack on Anzac Cove, at one stage countermanding orders to attack when he spotted a build up of Turkish forces in the opposing trenches.[6] Shortly afterwards he was sent to Egypt to take command of the base of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade.[1] While stationed in Egypt he was mentioned in despatches twice.[7]

After the end of the fighting in Gallipoli, Mackesy served in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign as commander of the AMR and at times was acting commander of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade. An advocate for British-Israeli relations,[1] he gained particular satisfaction when the AMR advanced into Palestine.[8] He gave up command of the AMR in April 1917, to become Administrator of the Khan Yunus-Deir El Belah area.[9]

Awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1917, Mackesy was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George the same year.[7] He then briefly commanded a training regiment, having received the temporary rank of colonel, and went back to New Zealand on furlough in late 1917. He returned to the Middle East in early 1918 and took command of New Zealand training units in Egypt. He finished the war as Military Governor of Es Sal-Amman District in Jordan and supervised the transfer of power back to Arab administrators. He was mentioned in dispatches for a third time early in 1919[7] and later that year was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for "valuable services rendered in connection with Military Operations in Egypt".[10]

Discharged from the NZEF in November 1919, Mackesy returned to his farm.[7] In 1921 he expanded his land agency business, opening an office in Auckland. In January 1925 he remarried, his first wife having died in August 1920. He died before the end of the year of heart failure, survived by his second wife and two sons, a third son having been killed at Gallipoli. Mackesy Park in Whangarei is named for him.[1]