Major (Principal Matron) Janet Christina MacKay
Survivor of WW2
Date of Death:
Service Biography
Janet Christina MacKay was born at St. Urbain, Quebec, on 2 February 1898. She trained as a nurse at Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal and worked there as a nurse and supervisor before the Second World War. She entered wartime service with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps Nursing Service in 1940 and served in Canada and the United Kingdom, including with No. 1 Neurological Hospital overseas. After returning to Canada in 1942 she served at Rideau, Debert and Sussex Military Hospitals, rising from Nursing Sister to Matron and Principal Matron. In February 1944 she became District Principal Matron of Military District No. 7 with the acting rank of Major, and in February 1945 she was confirmed as Major. MacKay was appointed a Member of the Royal Red Cross, First Class, in the 1945 New Year's Honours. She was honourably released from the Canadian Army (Active) on 31 May 1946 and placed on the Reserve of Active Officers.
General Information
Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
NA
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
Battalion:
Sussex Military Hospital / Military District No. 7
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
St. Urbain, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
41 years 11 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
48 years 3 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
87 years 7 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Nurse
Next of Kin:
Annie Elizabeth MacKay, mother, St. Urbain, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, Quebec
Religion:
Presbyterian
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 5.5 in / 166 cm
Weight:
140 lbs / 64 kg
Chest:
32.5 in / 83 cm
Expansion:
4.0 in / 10 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Great Britain
Place of Discharge:
Montreal South, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
2339 days in service
Buried at:
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW2 |
Major (Principal Matron) |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
Sussex Military Hospital / Military District No. 7 |
|
|
|
| Confirmed Major; seniority from 15 Feb 1944. |
| WW2 |
Major (Principal Matron) |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
No. 4 District Depot |
|
|
|
| Retirement/release processing. |
| WW2 |
Major (Principal Matron) |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
No. 7 Company RCAMC / Military District No. 7 |
|
|
|
| Employed as Principal Matron at MD7 headquarters. |
| WW2 |
Acting Major (Principal Matron) |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
Sussex Military Hospital / Military District No. 7 |
|
|
|
| District Principal Matron, MD7. |
| WW2 |
Captain (Matron) |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
Sussex Military Hospital |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Acting Captain (Matron) |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
Sussex Military Hospital |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Acting Captain (Acting Matron) |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
Debert Military Hospital |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Nursing Sister / Lieutenant |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
Debert Military Hospital |
|
|
|
| Assistant to the Matron. |
| WW2 |
Nursing Sister / Lieutenant |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
Rideau Military Hospital |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Nursing Sister / Lieutenant |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
No. 4 District Depot / CWAC Macdonald College |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Nursing Sister / Lieutenant |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
No. 4 District Depot / No. 1 Neurological Hospital |
|
|
|
Awards
| Conflict |
Award |
Action |
Date of Award |
Date of Citation |
Source |
| WW2 |
Royal Red Cross, First Class |
|
|
|
Army order / King's New Year's Honours |
| Appointed a Member of the Royal Red Cross, First Class, in the King's New Year's Honours for wartime nursing service. |
| WW2 |
Defence Medal |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
War Medal 1939-45 |
|
|
|
|
Service Chronology
1898-02-02 — Born at St. Urbain, Quebec. — St. Urbain, Quebec
1908 to 1911 — Attended Longueuil Academy for high school. — Longueuil, Quebec / Longueuil Academy
1912 to 1913 — Completed a business course in stenography. — Quebec / business course
1920 to 1923 — Trained as a nurse at Royal Victoria Hospital Training College and graduated as a registered nurse in 1923. — Montreal, Quebec / Royal Victoria Hospital Training College
1923 to 1940 — Worked as a nurse and supervisor at Royal Victoria Hospital. — Montreal, Quebec / Royal Victoria Hospital
1940-01-04 — Applied for wartime service and was medically examined Category A; recommended for appointment as Nursing Sister, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps. — Montreal, Quebec / Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
1940-06-27 — Commenced active service as Nursing Sister (equivalent Lieutenant) and was taken on strength of No. 4 District Depot. — Montreal, Quebec / No. 4 District Depot
1940-07-11 — Posted to No. 1 Neurological Hospital and transferred through Military District No. 3. — Ottawa, Ontario / No. 1 Neurological Hospital
1940-08-05 to 1940-08-08 — Attached to 23rd Field Ambulance for duty and rations. — Ottawa, Ontario / 23rd Field Ambulance
1940-08-27 — Embarked for overseas service. — Halifax, Nova Scotia / No. 1 Neurological Hospital
1940-09-04 — Disembarked in Scotland and reported for duty with No. 1 Neurological Hospital at Basingstoke. — Gourock, Scotland / No. 1 Neurological Hospital
1940-10-05 to 1940-11-05 — Attached to No. 5 General Hospital for duty. — Taplow, England / No. 5 General Hospital
1940-11-05 to 1940-12-20 — Attached to No. 1 Canadian General Hospital for duty, quarters and rations. — Marston Green, England / No. 1 Canadian General Hospital
1941-02-28 — Reported sick with bronchitis while serving overseas. — Basingstoke, England / No. 1 Neurological Hospital
1941-05-05 to 1941-05-13 — Granted leave of absence. — United Kingdom / No. 1 Neurological Hospital
1941-10-02 to 1941-10-09 — Granted seven days' leave and returned to unit. — United Kingdom / No. 1 Neurological Hospital
1942-02-03 to 1942-02-09 — Granted seven days' leave and returned to unit. — United Kingdom / No. 1 Neurological Hospital
1942-04-02 — Taken on strength of the Non-Effective Transit Depot and attached to No. 1 Neurological Hospital. — United Kingdom / Non-Effective Transit Depot
1942-04-07 — Struck off strength of the Canadian Army Overseas for return to Canada. — United Kingdom / Non-Effective Transit Depot
1942-05-04 to 1942-05-31 — Proceeded on command to the Canadian Women's Army Corps at Macdonald College. — Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec / Canadian Women's Army Corps
1942-06-01 — Taken on strength of Rideau Military Hospital. — Ottawa, Ontario / Rideau Military Hospital
1942-11-26 to 1942-11-28 — Sick in quarters for two days. — Ottawa, Ontario / Rideau Military Hospital
1943-05-15 — Posted to Debert Military Hospital as Assistant to the Matron. — Debert, Nova Scotia / Debert Military Hospital
1943-08-01 — Promoted Acting Captain and appointed Acting Matron. — Debert, Nova Scotia / Debert Military Hospital
1943-09-01 — Posted to Sussex Military Hospital. — Sussex, New Brunswick / Sussex Military Hospital
1944-02-01 — Confirmed in the rank of Captain (Matron). — Sussex, New Brunswick / Sussex Military Hospital
1944-02-15 — Appointed District Principal Matron, Military District No. 7, and granted Acting Major while so employed. — Sussex, New Brunswick / Military District No. 7
1944-03-06 — Proceeded on command to a matrons' conference. — Ottawa, Ontario / Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
1944-12-01 to 1945-02-01 — Attached to Montreal Military Hospital while remaining on the strength of Sussex Military Hospital. — Montreal, Quebec / Montreal Military Hospital
1945-01-01 — Appointed a Member of the Royal Red Cross, First Class, in the King's New Year's Honours. — Canada / Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
1945-02-23 — Confirmed as Major (Principal Matron), with seniority from 15 February 1944. — Sussex, New Brunswick / Sussex Military Hospital and Military District No. 7
1945-09-15 — Defence Medal entitlement certified for United Kingdom service from 28 August 1940 to 7 April 1942. — Sussex, New Brunswick / Sussex Military Hospital
1945-10-30 — Posted to No. 7 Company, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, and attached to Sussex Military Hospital. — Saint John, New Brunswick / No. 7 Company RCAMC
1946-01-14 — Ceased attachment to Sussex Military Hospital and continued with No. 7 Company, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps. — Saint John, New Brunswick / No. 7 Company RCAMC
1946-05-16 to 1946-05-26 — Granted privilege and pre-discharge leave. — Saint John, New Brunswick / No. 7 Company RCAMC
1946-05-27 — Taken on strength of No. 4 District Depot for retirement proceedings. — Montreal South, Quebec / No. 4 District Depot
1946-05-29 to 1946-05-30 — Underwent release medical board; hypertension and right-leg varicose veins were recorded and referral to Department of Veterans Affairs was recommended. — Montreal, Quebec / Montreal Military Hospital
1946-05-31 — Honourably released from the Canadian Army (Active), placed on the Reserve of Active Officers under King's Regulations (Canada) 270(a), with rank Major (Principal Matron). — Montreal South, Quebec / No. 4 District Depot
Notes
Before military service Janet Christina MacKay was a registered nurse and supervisor at Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal. Her records show Senior Matriculation, a year of business college, and nursing training at Royal Victoria Hospital Training College, completed in 1923. She spoke English and French fluently. Single and without children, she planned after discharge to return to nursing or establish a convalescent nursing home in Montreal; her counsellor described her as an experienced nurse with strong organizational ability and interest in people's welfare.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Born at St Urbain, on February 2 1895.
Obit has her listed as Major
Name Janet Mackay Birth 2 févr. 1895 (2 Feb 1895) Death 9 sept. 1985 (9 Sep 1985) Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue (Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue), Quebec, Canada Residence Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue (Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue)
Request confirmation number EA2026_0173320
Additional Service Notes
Served with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps Nursing Service in Canada and the United Kingdom. Overseas with No. 1 Neurological Hospital from August 1940 to April 1942, she later served at Rideau, Debert and Sussex Military Hospitals. She became Acting Captain (Matron) in August 1943, District Principal Matron of Military District No. 7 and Acting Major in February 1944, and was confirmed Major (Principal Matron) in February 1945. She was appointed a Member of the Royal Red Cross, First Class, in the 1945 New Year's Honours. She was released from the Canadian Army (Active) on 31 May 1946 and placed on the Reserve of Active Officers.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Her father was deceased by July 1940. Her mother, Annie Elizabeth MacKay, a widow living at St. Urbain, Chateauguay County, Quebec, was her next of kin. Janet was unmarried, had no children and reported no dependants.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-10-06 02:05:03
by: marc
