Australian Army issue watch with leather wristband : Major I G Mackay, 4 Battalion AIF

Silver plated fob watch with leather wrist band and protective cover. The watch has a white enamel face graduated in Roman numerals and marked 'LAWRENCE & MAYO LONDON', and a small inset dial counting seconds. The large knurled crown has a suspension loop, and a hinged square retaining loop is attached to the bottom of the case. The rear of the casing is hinged at the bottom and opens to reveal the serial number '1405789' stamped inside. The brown leather wristband has a brass reinforcing eyelet close to where the buckle would have been located, but this appears to have torn out and is missing. The tongue end has five holes for adjustment. The body of the band, which widens to 52 mm, has a compartment to hold the watch, with a hole for the crown at the top. A protective circular leather flap over the watch face is closed and retained by a short leather strap with a brown celluloid button which snaps on to a brass stud on the band.

Australian Army wrist watch used by Major (later Lieutenant General Sir Iven) Mackay in the attack on Lone Pine by 4 Battalion AIF, on 6 August, 1915. In 1921, when donating this item to the Australian War Memorial, Mackay wrote, 'The whistle and watch were used by me (then Major) to signal the charge of A Co. 4th Bn. A.I.F. at Lone Pine at 5.30p.m. on 6th Aug. 1915. All watches, including this one, which only arrived from Cairo the day before, were synchronised during the 6th at various times. Our preparatory bombardment lasted from 4.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. (27 guns) & the signal for the charge was three blasts on the whistle. I was wounded on the night of Aug. 6 & again early on Aug. 7 & evacuated to Malta & thence to England & the whistle & watch were not used again.'

Iven Giffard Mackay was born at Grafton, NSW in 1882. A keen member of the militia, he was commissioned in 26 Infantry Battalion in 1913, and at the outbreak of war volunteered for the AIF. He was appointed Captain and adjutant of 4 Battalion, but, injured in a riding accident, he did not embark with his unit, sailing instead with 13 Battalion. Once in Egypt, he returned to 4 Battalion as Transport Officer, a position which prevented him from participating in the Gallipoli landings. He finally reached Anzac in May, to help make good the battalion's heavy officer casualties, and by August had been promoted to Major and given command of A Compay. Mackay led this company at Lone Pine, and was in the thick of the fighting. He was twice wounded, and eventually evacuated to England, not rejoining his unit until after the evacuation. In France, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and took command of 4 Bn. He was appointed to command 1 Machine Gun Battalion in early 1918, and in June was promoted Brigadier General, commanding 1 Brigade. Mackay served again in the Second World War, reaching the rank of Lieutenant General. He died in 1966.

• Whistle : Major I G Mackay, 4 Battalion AIF
• Leather wristband to hold whistle : Major I G Mackay, 4 Battalion AIF