Auction Catalogue

25 & 26 June 2008

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations and Medals

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

Lot

№ 1172

.

26 June 2008

Hammer Price:
£980

A fine Second World War Malta convoys O.B.E. group of seven awarded to Captain A. MacKinlay, Merchant Navy: having emerged unscathed from “Operation Excess”, his command, the Clan MacDonald, survived the ordeals of “Operation Halberd” in September 1941 - but only just - one torpedo missing his ship by just five feet

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
, O.B.E. (Civil) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge; British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals 1914-18 (Alexander MacKinlay); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine (7) £600-800

O.B.E. London Gazette 4 February 1942. The original recommendation states:

‘The ship made two passages through enemy waters. On the outward voyage she was attacked by torpedo bombers, but with help succeeded in driving them off. On the return passage she was twice attacked by bombs and torpedo bombers. Again her gunnery was spirited, and she hit at least two enemy aircraft. Only skilful seamanship saved her from being torpedoed. Captain MacKinley showed great skill throughout, and he was ably assisted by Mr. Main (Chief Engineer) and Mr. Ellis (Chief Officer).’

Alexander MacKinlay, who was born in Skipness, Argyllshire in December 1879, served in the Mercantile Marine in the Great War as a 1st Mate and Ship’s Master operating out of Tilbury Docks, initially in the
Clan Graham and, from December 1917, in the Clan MacArthur. Remaining similarly employed between the Wars, he commanded several vessels of the Clan Line, among them the Clan MacGillivray, aboard which ship he won a Medal & Diploma from the Institute of de Socorros a Naufragos for saving the crew of the Portuguese fishing vessel Dois Manos off Cape Espichel on 23 December 1931.

The renewal of hostilities found him in Australia, where he took command of the
Clan MacDonald, and it was for his gallant and skilful command of her on the Malta-run that he was awarded his O.B.E., and more precisely for “Operation Halberd” - and this after earlier participation in “Operation Excess” in January 1941, when Clan Macdonald made a perilous run to Piraeus with a cargo of tanks.

Of her outward voyage during “Halberd”, the highlight was undoubtedly a protracted air-sea battle that witnessed the demise of 14 enemy aircraft - and a close-call from torpedo attack - but she reached Grand Harbour, Valetta unscathed on 28 September 1941, when she was cheered into port with her fellow merchantmen. Yet it was during her more or less solo run home in the following month - she departed Malta on the 11th with 11 passengers, including four children - that 62 year old MacKinlay’s skills were tested to the limit. Having passed through the Narrows and hoisted a French flag, his command was shadowed by four Italian aircraft, reports from which no doubt led to the ordeal that followed - namely a three-pronged attack that produced a brace of torpedoes - one of which missed the
Clan MacDonald by just five feet - and a mine, but the aircraft that dropped the latter was hit several times by MacKinlay’s gunners, and was seen to lose height as it broke off the attack. Two hours later, another torpedo bomber turned towards the Clan MacDonald, but was the recipient of similar accurate gunnery from Clan MacDonald and retired badly damaged without having launched an attack. The next day another enemy aircraft circled respectfully out of range, and MacKinlay and his gallant crew reached Gibraltar safely on 19 October 1941.

No further entries are listed on MacKinlay’s Board of Trade record of service after March 1942.