Harry McConville

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2002.

Harry was born at Quorn, SA in 1917.  He attended St Joseph's Convent School and went to the Quorn High School in 1930.  Harry only completed one year of high school and left before his 14th birthday.
This was during the Great Depression and he was needed to work with his father on the farm.  He did this for several years and learned to become a good blacksmith.  Harry eventually left the farm to work on sheep properties and for the railways.  In his spare time he helped his brother Jim at 'The First Garage' and learnt a lot from him.Harry, as was common in that era, saw the benefits of a trade and went on to complete an apprenticeship at Klaebe's Motor Garage in Quorn.  Compelled to support his country, he joined the RAAF on the 18th February 1941.  He was a mechanical engineer and was stationed at Mallala 6S FTS, Nowra Torpedo Base, NSW and then at Darwin.  He worked as an aircraft fitter 11 E., torpedo fitter and transport fitter in Darwin.  At war's end, Harry was discharged in Adelaide, in March 1946.  His name is on the Roll of Honor in the Quorn Memorial Hall.  After his discharge he joined his brother Jim, Dave Baldock and Milton Owen as a partner at Central Motor Service in Alice Springs.  All he had to his name at the time was his deferred pay, a couple of boxes of tools and a push bike.  Before he knew it, he had become a partner in Baldock's Transport which Jim McConville joined in 1954.Harry and Jim McConville were managing directors of D. R. Baldock & Co Pty Ltd for many years.  They helped to develop and foster the transport industry both in the Territory and Australia.  The road trains they operated were the biggest in the world at the time.  The business was sold in late 1966.  Harry retired a few months later and married Mary Trevallon Barnes in Sydney in 1967.