Documents & Sources

The London Gazette, Supplement No. 37386, p. 6075, 13 December 1945

Military Cross citation for Lieutenant Alec Frank MacKelden (service number 299387), The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment).

The London Gazette, Supplement No. 36301, p. 5622, 13 November 1943

Commission of A.F. MacKelden as Second Lieutenant (Infantry).

National Archives (UK), Record D7355891

Regimental / war diary records relating to MacKelden's MC action, April 1945.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, Special Issue No. S8, 26 January 1995, p. 1

Australia Day Honours 1995, Member of the Order of Australia (AM). Entry reads: 'Mr Alec Frank MacKELDEN, MC, Surfers Paradise Qld 4217. For service to the community, particularly as Chairman of the Skin and Cancer Foundation of Australia.' Via National Library of Australia / Trove.

Also available via gg.gov.au

Order of Australia — Australia Day 1995 (AD95) — Gazette S08.

NSW Government Gazette, Issue No. 175, 14 December 1984, p. 6100

Appointment of Alec Frank MacKelden as Chairman, NSW Egg Corporation. Via National Library of Australia / Trove.

NSW Government Gazette, Issue No. 99, 27 June 1986, p. 2950

Mid-term gazette notice confirming MacKelden's continued chairmanship, NSW Egg Corporation. Via National Library of Australia / Trove.

NSW Government Gazette, Issue No. 156, 2 October 1987, p. 5575

Appointment of successor as NSW Egg Corporation Chairman, recording MacKelden's departure. Via National Library of Australia / Trove.

Cleveland Standard, Saturday 2 June 1945, p. 4

'With Our Forces Overseas: Local Officer's Dashing Attack'. By a Military Observer. Contemporary wartime report naming Lieut. Alec MacKelden and describing his actions at Lake Comacchio and the Canale Bianco, April 1945. Via British Newspaper Archive (British Library Board).

The Canberra Times, Vol. 70, Issue 21,833, 26 January 1995, p. 10

'The Honours List'. Independent press report of MacKelden's AM award. Via National Library of Australia / Trove.

The Sydney Morning Herald, Thursday 7 April 1977, p. 6

'In tomato-sauce land, it really works'. By Lee Glendinning. Profiles MacKelden as managing director of Cerebos Seven Hills plant; quotes him on worker participation and management philosophy. Via Newspapers.com.

The Sunday Australian, 28 March 1971

Profile naming MacKelden as Managing Director of Cerebos Australia. (Family archive.)

UK Mail (date unknown)

'How Alec brought the teabag to Australia'. By Desmond Zwar. MacKelden quoted directly on introducing tea bags to Australia. (Family archive.)

Sinclair, James. Steamships Trading Company 1918–2018: A History. Alan Caudell and Associates / Plantone Pty Limited, Palm Cove, Queensland, 2008. ISBN 978-0-646-48511-9.

Authorised by Steamships Trading Company Limited. Pages 308, 324 and 347 record MacKelden's appointment as Director (29 September 1984), describe him as 'a particularly active Director', and record his retirement from the board at the AGM in November 1989.

Skin and Cancer Foundation of Australia, Annual Report 2022, p. 3

Names MacKelden as past chairman of the board, awarded the OAM in 1995.

Tracesofwar.com

Biographical military record for Alec Frank MacKelden.

Alec MacKelden — Wikipedia

Biographical article covering MacKelden's military service, business career and philanthropy.

1995 Australia Day Honours — Wikipedia

Article listing MacKelden's AM.

Australian Food Timeline

'1959 Lipton Tea Bags Arrive in Australia'. By Jan O'Connell. Independently documents the Lipton tea bag launch in Australia in 1959.

Trove (National Library of Australia)

Contemporaneous 1959 Lipton tea bag advertisement.

MacKelden, Alec Frank. 'A Quite Wonderful Day': The 1922–87 Memoirs of Alec MacKelden AM MC. Gold Coast: Bob E. Collins Hand Binder, c.1996.

Private family publication: the primary source for this website.

Letter from Alec MacKelden to his grandson Toby, 21 June 1999

Written on Bayview Tower letterhead, Runaway Bay. (Family archive.)

The Dragon, regimental newsletter of The Buffs, No. 530, January 1944

Records MacKelden joining 'D' Company. (Family archive.)

Cerebos employment contracts, 1963 and 1972

(Family archive.)

Canterbury newspaper clippings, c.1945

'Old St. Dunstan's M.C.' and 'With Our Forces Overseas: Local Officer's Dashing Attack'. (Family archive.)