Initially at Ashville College, Harrogate, James Mackinnon went on to Shrewsbury School where he excelled. A fine athlete, he gained school colours for Football, Cricket (Capt.) and Fives, and in his final year was Head of House and Head of School. A charming character, he could be grim or gay as the situation demanded.

In 1942, on leaving Shrewsbury, he was awarded a Bursary to Magdalene College, Cambridge but instead he volunteered to join the Royal Marines. During his training he played for the R.M. Football team and helped win the Inter-Services League. His medal is now in the R.M. Museum at Portsmouth.

After his initial training he was thrilled to be commissioned and was then recommended for Special Service training at the Commando Basic Training Centre, Achnacarry.

After successfully completing his Commando training he was posted to No.44RM Commando which had been raised in August 1943.

On the 15th November 1943 the Commando departed for India. In March 1944 they sailed from Teknaf (modern Bangladesh) for Burma as part of 3rd Special Service Brigade. On 11th March they landed on the Arakan coast at Alethangyaw under heavy machine gun and sniper fire, the mission to capture the town. Once ashore 2/Lt Mackinnon was detailed to lead a patrol behind Japanese lines but was ambushed by the enemy.

One of his Section was seriously injured and dragged away by the enemy only to reappear positioned as a decoy on a mound in a paddy field. 2/Lt. Mackinnon, in attempting to get to his Marine, was himself seriously injured, but managed to crawl to a concealed position. Located by his men they took him on a terrible and difficult journey to a First Aid Post where he died 48 hours later on 14th March 1944.

Initially buried in Maungdaw Military Cemetery, in 1948 James Mackinnon was reburied in Akyab Military Cemetery before finally being laid to rest in Taukkyan War Cemetery in Rangoon [Plot X, Row C, Grave No 13]. (The Japanese abandoned their decoy R.M. Commando where he lay; subsequently local Burmese retrieved the man and took him to a British unit where he was nursed back to health).

 

A friend has kindly visited and photographed his grave and described Taukkyan as a ‘tranquil and beautifully kept’ location. In the letter given to his brother before he sailed (to be opened in the event of his not returning) James had penned one verse from the poem ‘Into Battle’ by Julien Grenfell which expressed his feelings very aptly:

Part of this verse was chosen by James’ father to be the inscription on his CWGC gravestone in Burma: “If this be the last song that you shall sing, sing well…”