Lynton Connor
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at ReUnion 2013.
Lynton Connor was born in 1947 and passed away unexpectedly in July 2013. He is remembered by all who knew him as a man of exceptional determination with a genuine appreciation of the road transport industry and its contribution to Australia's development as well as to the well-being of the people involved in it.
Lynton's truck driving began when he was just 12 years old and would wag school in the country township of Meadows, in South Australia, to drive his father's milk truck from one side of the milk factory to the other - often down the main street of the town. Lynton went on to run a successful fleet of milk tankers and general freight semi-trailers in the Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu regions himself. He is probably best remembered for the 30 years he hauled CIG and BOC gas products throughout most states of Australia.
In 1990 Lynton suffered severe injuries when, as a result of a speedway accident, he had to spend twelve months in the Burns Unit of an Adelaide hospital. He ended up losing most of his fingers and thumbs but it did not stop him continuing to drive trucks on his release or prevent him from managing the bookwork for his ever growing transport business. Lynton's business was called RONNOC, which is Connor spelt backwards. Today it is managed by his two sons, Dion and Derek, who operate with a fleet of thirty trucks including Scania, Kenworth and Western Star among other brands. Lynton personally was a great devotee of the Scania marque.
There are many examples of Lynton's giving nature. He was awarded the 'Pride of Australia Award for Outstanding Bravery' after he rescued a mother and daughter from a drain pipe under a flooded creek. He was still suffering the burns from his own accident at the time. He was very active in the community with his trucks being involved in every local parade or being used as stages. When help was needed by the local Country Fire Service Lynton was always out there carting water in tankers for them. Some of his trucks bore the words, the things that make you go hmmm! and that certainly describes how Lynton Connor lived his life.
