[ London Gazette, 24 December 1858 ]. Secundra Bagh, Lucknow, India, 16 November 1857, Private David Mackay, 93rd Regiment.

"On 16 November 1857 at Lucknow, India, Private Mackay showed great pesonal gallantry in capturing an enemy's Colour after a most obstinate resistance at the Secundra Bagh. He was severely wounded afterwards at the capture of the Shah Nujjiff." ( Elected by the Regiment )

Private Mackay had previously served with the 93rd in the Crimea. On 24 October 1854 the 93rd Regiment drawn up in line two deep, instead of the usual square, routed the Russian Cavalry charge at Balaklava, earning themselves the nickname "The thin red line". The term was first penned by the famous Times reporter W.H.Russell who standing on the hills above could clearly see that nothing stood between the Russian Cavalry and the defenceless British base, but the "thin red streak tipped with a line of steel" of the 93rd, condensed almost immediately to "the thin red line".

Invalided out of the army because of his wounds, and unable to work, he sold his medals to buy food for his wife and 5 children, dying at the early age of 48, in 1880. He was buried in an unmarked plot in Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, but on November 14, 1998, his regiment dedicated a memorial plaque to mark the spot.