PROMOTING THE HISTORY AND ARCHIVES OF MT COMPASS
McKinlay, Alan
Alan Robert “Bob” McKinlay (Craftsman – Gun Fitter)
Born in November 1915, Bob (as he was known) attended the Mount Compass School until reaching 14 years of age, when he left to work on the family farm. His parents were Harry P McKinlay and Annie McKinlay (nee Jacobs) who were market gardeners on Section 324 Bahloo Glen Road.
Bob enlisted as a 25 year old at Wayville on 14th April 1941 and went on to become a Craftsman in the 2/9th Australian Armoured Regiment’s Workshop. His army records note that he was six foot tall (1.82m), single and of dark complexion with brown eyes.
His army career commenced at the Wayville Showgrounds, about which he later wrote of having to sleep on the cold concrete floor of the Motor Pavilion. As many of the recruits then became ill from laying on this draughty floor, partitions were erected, making cubicles that could each accommodate six men – which he noted did improve their situation.
Bob became a gun fitter working on army tanks, with the expectation that he would soon be sent to the Middle East. With the possibility of Japan entering the conflict, he was kept in Australia along with many others in case they were needed here. Several times his regiment was ready to go overseas but were held back - much to their disappointment, he later recalled.
Much of his regiment’s time in Australia was spent in Northern NSW and Queensland.
Finally in March 1945, they sailed from Cairns to the Islands and saw action at Moratai, Dutch Borneo, Tarakan, Labuan & Brunei.
He was given an occupational discharge (rural) in December 1945 and returned to help his brother Don, on their Mt Compass property.
Bob married Dorothy Bishop in 1949 and they had three children, Jillian, Graham and Richard. Their first house was close to the Finniss River at Enterprise Colony. This was a small three roomed house with no power, no telephone and no laundry.
In 1953 they bought the Mount Moon block (section 215) from Bob’s brother Eric, where they grew potatoes and other vegetables up until 1995, when they retired to Bay Village at Victor Harbor.
Among his many community activities in Mt Compass, Bob is remembered for his active involvement with the local RSL and helping to build their Clubrooms (now RSL Hall), and his involvement with the Community Centre, including helping build the new hall in 1958. His wife Dorothy also spent 25 years working on the local town newsletter “Entre Nous”, much of that time as Editor.
Bob passed away on 5th August 2000 at the age of 84 and Dorothy in October 2011. They were both cremated, with their ashes buried in the Mount Compass Cemetery.
References: Entre Nous Newsletter May 2005, Army Service records, MC Cemetery Records, RSL Member’s history folder.
