Mackinlay, Alexander

Date of birth:: December 1879 (Skipness, Argyllshire, Great Britain)
Nationality:: British

Biography

Alexander Mackinlay 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. In between tow wars he won a medal and 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.
At the outbreak of WW2 he was 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.

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Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Captain
Awarded on:: December 3rd, 1942

"‘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)."