Private William Lawrence McKay was a 22 year old laborer from the Parramatta branch of the Australian Gas-Light Company. He and his family lived in Cleveland Street, Sydney. He was single and a Roman Catholic. He was the son of Mr H McKay and Mrs Margaret McKay. He enlisted on 1 September 1914. He embarked with his unit from Sydney aboard the HMAT Euripides A14 on 20 October 1914. He was killed in action on 5 July 1915 in Gallipoli, Turkey. He as buried in Shrapnel Valley Cemetery, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey. His name is displayed at the Australian War Memorial in the Commemorative Area at site 41.
Kimberly Russell – Volunteer Research Assistant, City of Parramatta, Parramatta Heritage Centre, 2017