Donald Victor McKay (1921-1999)
Nat Map’s First Driver (Survey) 1948
By Laurie McLean February 2022
Don McKay in 1948.
Extract from Dave Hocking image.
Don McKay worked for National Mapping for at least 6 months during 1948. Don was employed as a Driver (Survey). This position was not listed in the initial National Mapping staff structure that was gazetted on 20 March 1947 nor was it included with other initial Nat Map staff vacancies that were advertised in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette and daily newspapers on 13 March 1947.
However, between 1948 and 1950, the Nat Map Photogrammetric Survey Sub‑section in Melbourne employed 5 people as Drivers (Survey), namely :
· Donald Victor McKay 1948
· Wilfred Hercy Whitlock 1949, more information on Jerry Whitlock is available at this link
· Donald Graham to mid-September 1949
· William Edward Stroud from October 1949
· Graham Stanton Murray 1950 (Canberra-based), more information on Gus Murray is available at this link.
Appointment details for these Drivers were not discovered in searches of the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. It is therefore likely that they were employed on a temporary basis.
1948-Nat Map’s first field survey season
In May 1948, the then National Mapping Section in the Property and Survey Branch of the Department of the Interior sent its first survey party in to the field. That field party was from the Photogrammetric Survey Sub-section in Melbourne. The field party was small, initially comprising Lindsay Rimington (1908-1992), Chief Topographic Surveyor; Dave Hocking (1920-2000), Field Assistant (Survey); and Don McKay, Driver (Survey).
Lindsay Rimington was with the 1948 survey party for the first 2 weeks; principally to instruct the observer, Dave Hocking on techniques for both the classical position line method and the Rimington method of obtaining latitude and longitude from astronomical observations (astro fixes). A detailed article about Lindsay Rimington including his 1940 method of latitude and longitude determination is available at this link.
The positions of the 1948 (and later) astro fixes were accurately identified on aerial photographs. The main purpose of the astro fixes was to control assemblies of slotted templates which provided photogrammetric control for photo maps and for plotting planimetric detail on map compilation sheets for the then 4 mile to the inch (1: 253 440) scale topographic map series and the later R502 (1: 250 000 scale) topographic map series.
Where practicable, astro fixes were obtained in the vicinity of each intersection of the 4 mile map sheets, one in the vicinity of the centre of each 4 mile sheet, and one near each permanent feature such as homesteads, etc. As well as astro fixes, the field party used a battery of 4 Short and Mason 5-inch aneroid barometers to obtain heights at creek crossings, homesteads, bores, airstrips and generally along tracks at 4 mile intervals; every 1 inch on the map. In addition, nominal 1:50 000 scale aerial photographs were annotated with map detail in the field to assist with photo interpretation during compilation of the maps in the office.
During the 6-month field season in 1948, Dave Hocking and Don Mackay were to undertake 67 astro fixes across the Barkly Tableland and in the Sandover and Georgina Rivers district of the Northern Territory and western Queensland, around the Gulf of Carpentaria, in the Victoria River District and in the Tennant Creek area. Further information on these astro fixes is provided in the Appendix.
Dave Hocking’s 1985 account of Nat Map’s astro fix field work in the late 1940s and early 1950s is provided in his paper Star Tracking for Mapping.
1948 field season - the driving
The 3-man Nat Map field party left Melbourne on 3 May 1948 travelling in a Chevrolet 1 ton truck to Quorn in the Flinders Ranges about 40 kilometres north-east of Port Augusta in South Australia. At Quorn, the truck was loaded on to a flat-top rail wagon for a 2-day, 1 200 kilometres rail journey to Alice Springs on the (old) Ghan. In those days the poor quality, unsealed road from Port Augusta to Alice Springs was a challenge.
Lindsay Rimington (left) with Don McKay and Chevrolet truck at the Devil’s Marbles (Karlu Karlu) on the Stuart Highway, Northern Territory in May 1948.
Dave Hocking image from XNatmap website.
From Alice Springs, the party travelled north along the sealed Stuart Highway to Tennant Creek and via the Three Ways Junction east along the Barkly Highway to the Frewena roadhouse were Nat Map’s first astro fix was made on 21 May 1948; see location diagram below.
Location of Nat Map’s first survey station – NM H1; established at Frewena by Dave Hocking in 1948. Diagram from Dave Hocking’s 1985 paper.
Frewena Roadhouse, Northern Territory in 1969.
XNatmap image provided by Ian Ogilvie.
Dave Hocking noted that the 2-wheel drive Chevrolet 1 ton truck did over 20 000 kilometres during the 6-month 1948 season. More than half of that distance was either over rough bush tracks or off the track. Much trouble and many delays were caused by bogging in sand or mud, broken springs, engine failures and of course punctures particularly towards the end of the field season when the tyres were wearing thin.
Don McKay (centre) with Charlie Simmons (left), and Dick McBride (right) in 1948.
Dave Hocking image from XNatmap website.
The above image of Don McKay with the Nat Map Chevrolet at left was taken at Mount Hogarth in the Sandover River country south of the Barkly Tableland about halfway through the 1948 field season. Mount Hogarth is about 380 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs. Note that the spare tyre on the Chevrolet is still in good condition. The small rock cairn and marker pole is at astro fix NMH33. The image was taken by Dave Hocking.
1948 field season – the booking work
As well as driving and vehicle maintenance duties, during the astro fix observations in 1948, Don McKay would have acted as booker, recording (in field books) Dave Hocking’s angular observations and the precise times of the readings to the selected stars using radio time signals as well as Dave’s stop watch readings. Don would have also undertaken and recorded barometric readings for height determination.
Apparently, Don McKay left Nat Map after the 1948 field season and returned to his home state of Tasmania; at least initially.
About Don McKay
Donald Victor McKay was born on 3 November 1921 at Woodbridge, a rural locality about 35 kilometres south of Hobart, Tasmania. Woodbridge is on the coast of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel opposite Bruny Island. Don was the fourth of the 6 children born to Victor McKay (1894-1980) and his wife Clara Elsie Doris McKay née Millhouse (1896-1963). Don’s siblings were Horace Clyde (1917-1990), Nellie Maria (1918–2007), Edith Margaret (1919–2006), Dorothy (1923‑1999), and Leonard William (1926–1979). Don’s parents Victor McKay and Clara Millhouse married at the All Saints Church in Macquarie Street Hobart on 25 April 1916.
World War II service
Don McKay served in the Royal Australian Navy during World War II; Service Number 23863. He commenced in the RAN at 18 years of age on 2 January 1940, having enlisted at Melbourne for a period of 12 years. When enlisting in the RAN, Don stated his previous occupation as labourer.
HMAS Cerberus January-August 1940
Don McKay’s Navy career started at HMAS Cerberus on 2 January 1940. Sometimes called the Flinders Naval Depot, Cerberus was commissioned in April 1921 and remains the Royal Australian Navy’s principal training establishment. It is located near Crib Point on Victoria’s Western Port about 70 kilometres south-east of Melbourne CBD. During World War II, Navy recruits were passing through Cerberus at the rate of about 400 per month.
Don remained at HMAS Cerberus until 29 August 1940. During his time there he would have undertaken basic recruit training in matters such as drill, weapons handling, naval safety procedures and seamanship as well as more advanced training. After Cerberus, Don was posted to HMAS Sydney.
HMAS Sydney (II) in the 1930s.
Royal Australian Navy image.
HMAS Sydney (II) August 1940-September 1941
Don McKay joined the 7 250 tons, 170 metres long, light cruiser HMAS Sydney (II) on 30 August 1940 as an Ordinary Seaman. Sydney was then under the command of Tasmanian-born Captain John Augustine Collins RAN (later Vice Admiral Sir John Collins, KBE CB RAN [1899-1990]).
From May 1940, Sydney was operating in the Mediterranean with the Royal Navy. On 19 July 1940, Sydney and other Allied vessels engaged the Italian high speed (37 knots) light cruisers Giovanni dalle Bande Nere and Bartolomeo Colleoni off the north-west tip of Crete in what became known as the Battle of Cape Spada. Sydney’s weapons fire disabled the Colleoni which was later sunk by torpedoes while Sydney damaged and pursued the faster Bande Nere until too low on ammunition to continue. (Sydney could make 32 knots.)
Don McKay joined Sydney about 6 weeks after this action. In the Mediterranean on 23 December 1940, Don McKay was promoted to Able Seaman.
Until commencing her return voyage to Australia in January 1941, Sydney continued with patrols, anti-submarine sweeps, convoy escort duties and shore bombardments in the Mediterranean and Adriatic. On 28 February 1941, Sydney sailed from Sydney for Fremantle and began routine convoy escort duties off the Western Australian coast. In Fremantle on 15 May 1941, Captain Collins handed command of Sydney to Captain Joseph Burnett RAN (1899‑1941).
For much of early 1941, Sydney continued with escort duties off the Western Australian coast. In July 1941, she was engaged in escort duties to New Zealand and Noumea and then to Samoa in late August before sailing back to Fremantle on 25 Sepember 1941. However, on 19 September 1941 Don McKay left the Sydney; most likely while she was refuelling in Melbourne. Don McKay was very fortunate to leave Sydney when he did; she was lost in action with all hands just 2 months later.
The loss and later finding of HMAS Sydney 1941-2008
Some of Sydney’s escort work off Western Australia from September 1941 was as far north as the Sunda Strait, between Java and Sumatra, that connects the Indian Ocean and the Java Sea. It was returning from one of these tasks on 19 November 1941 that she had her fateful encounter off Carnarvon with the German raider Kormoran and was lost with no survivors.
For the following 6 decades, the final resting place of the Sydney was one of Australia’s enduring maritime mysteries. It was not until 16 March 2008 that the wreck of the Sydney was found at a depth of about 2 500 metres roughly 300 kilometres south-west of Carnarvon. The wreck of the Kormoran had been found a few days earlier. The ships were located by a deep tow sidescan sonar and then photographed by a remotely operated underwater vehicle; both launched from the search vessel SV Geosounder. The successful search for the Sydney was due to the outstanding efforts of a volunteer group known as the Finding Sydney Foundation of which former Nat Mapper Ted Graham AM was founder and chairman.
HMAS Tolga October 1941-February 1942
Don McKay served on HMAS Tolga from 29 October 1941 to 20 February 1942. The 418 tons, 45 metre long Tolga had operated in Queensland waters as a lighter, carrying sugar from small ports to larger vessels offshore prior to World War II. She was commissioned into the RAN as an auxiliary minesweeper in December 1940.
In early June 1941, Tolga arrived in Darwin where she operated to ensure the swept channel for the port was kept clear of enemy mines. She also assisted boom defence vessels to maintain the anti‑submarine net that protected Darwin Harbour. Occasionally she was used to supply bulk water to ships at anchor in the harbour when the main wharf was unavailable for berthing.
An RAAF photograph of HMAS Tolga on 30 April 1941.
Australian War Memorial image accession number 301581.
Tolga was in Darwin during the first Japanese air raid on 19 February 1942. She helped rescue survivors from the merchant vessel British Motorist which had been struck by bombs and later sank. Tolga also assisted with the rescue of United States Army and Navy personnel from vessels sinking in the harbour and in fighting fires on the SS Barossa which was later beached and salvaged.
Navy discharge 1942
Don McKay’s planned 12-year Navy engagement was not to be. Throughout his time in the Navy, all of Don’s character assessments were very good. However, by 31 December 1941 his efficiency assessment had gone from satisfactory to inferior. Following a Medical Survey in June 1942, Don was discharged from the Royal Australian Navy on 6 August 1942 at the HMAS Huon Navy Base in Hobart. He was then 21 years of age. From 7 August 1942, Don was granted a war service pension at the 100 per cent rate. This indicated the Don had been seriously debilitated by his war time service.
Marriage to Nancy Bessell 1949
In Hobart on 18 March 1949, Don McKay married Nancy Mary Bessell (1923‑2000). Nancy was born at Devonport on 24 May 1923 and died in Melbourne at age 77 years on 21 December 2000. Nancy and Don McKay were to have 3 children: Robert, Donald and Judith.
Nancy was the daughter of Leslie Jack Bessell (1898-1976) and his wife Mona Margaret Bessell née Jones (1905-1967). A bootmaker by trade, Leslie Bessell enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 6 August 1918. He embarked at Melbourne for London on 5 October 1918 and was posted as Reinforcements for the 12th Battalion. Between 24 March 1919 and 15 August 1919, Private Bessell served in France with the Graves Registration Detachment. He returned to Australia on 19 November 1919 and was discharged from the AIF on 30 November 1919.
Nancy Bessell served as an Aircraftwoman with the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II; Service Number 110255. Nancy enlisted at age 19 years on 21 April 1943. She was discharged at age 21 years on 9 December 1944 when posted to the RAAF No 6 Personnel Depot that was located at 178 Macquarie Street Hobart.
Electoral Rolls 1949-1980
From available electoral rolls, Don and Nancy McKay moved fairly frequently and were employed in several situations between 1949 and 1980 (which is the last year for publicly searchable electoral rolls).
From a 1949 electoral roll, Don and Nancy McKay were residing at Linda that was located on the Lyell Highway north-east of Queenstown on Tasmania’s rugged and remote west coast. Queenstown was the base for the Mt Lyell copper mines that operated from 1893 to 1994. On the 1949 electoral roll, Don was listed as a labourer and Nancy as home duties.
On one 1954 electoral roll, Don and Nancy McKay were listed as residing at 28 Newark Avenue Newborough North in eastern Victoria. On this roll Don was listed as a rigger and Nancy as home duties. Newborough and Newborough North were dormitory suburbs developed by the then State Electricity Commission to house workers at the nearby Yallourn open cut brown coal mine, coal fired power station, and briquette making works in Victoria’s La Trobe Valley east of Melbourne. The garden city designed Yallourn township was established in the 1920s but was removed during the 1980s as the open cut mine expanded.
On another 1954 electoral roll, Don and Nancy McKay were listed as residing at 25 Rockbank Road Sunbury with Don occupied as a painter and Nancy in home duties. Sunbury is about 40 kilometres north-west of central Melbourne. Unfortunately, the sequencing of the 2 electoral rolls in 1954 could not be determined.
On a 1963 electoral roll, Don and Nancy McKay were listed as residing in Alice Street Mt Evelyn in Melbourne’s outer east; Don was occupied as a painter and Nancy in home duties.
On electoral rolls for 1967 and 1968, Don and Nancy McKay were listed as residing at 35 Balmain Street Richmond South an inner Melbourne suburb; with Don occupied as a sub‑contractor and Nancy as a process worker.
On a 1972 electoral roll, Don and Nancy McKay were listed as residing at 5 Kelso Street Richmond; Don was occupied as a painter and Nancy in home duties.
It appears that Don and Nancy McKay ceased living together in the early to mid‑1970s. Nancy McKay was discovered again on electoral rolls for 1977 and 1980. On both of these rolls, Nancy was listed as being occupied in home duties and residing in Richmond with sons Robert and Donald (junior). They were residing at 10 Cremorne Street and 25 Cotter Street, respectively. However, there was no mention of Donald Victor McKay on these rolls.
Vale
Donald Victor McKay died peacefully at Kew on 22 October 1999 at the age of 77 years. His remains were buried at the Woodbridge Cemetery at 3 Potters Road Woodbridge, Tasmania.
As mentioned earlier, Nancy Mary McKay died in Melbourne on 21 December 2000. She was 77 years of age. Nancy’s remains were buried at the Devonport Cemetery in Tasmania.
Don McKay’s grave marker at the Woodbridge Cemetery.
Image (edited) from James Gibson family tree on Ancestry.
1948 Astro Fixes by Dave Hocking*
|
R502 Map Sheet |
Latitude(#) |
Longitude(#) |
|
|
NMH 1 |
SE 53-15 Alroy |
19° 25' |
135° 25' |
|
NMH 2 |
SE 53-15 Alroy |
19° 55' |
136° 20' |
|
NMH 3 |
SF 53-4 Avon Downs |
21° 00' |
137° 55' |
|
NMH 4 |
SE 53-16 Ranken |
20° 00' |
136° 35' |
|
NMH 5 |
SE 53-16 Ranken |
19° 55' |
138° 00' |
|
NMH 6 |
SF 54-1 Mount Isa |
20° 00' |
138° 00' |
|
NMH 7 |
SF 54-5 Urandangi |
21° 05' |
139° 30' |
|
NMH 8 |
SF 54-5 Urandangi |
21° 30' |
138° 45' |
|
NMH 9 |
SF 54-5 Urandangi |
21° 55' |
139° 30' |
|
NMH 10 |
SF 54-5 Urandangi |
22° 00' |
138° 35' |
|
NMH 11 |
SF 54-5 Urandangi |
21° 40' |
138° 15' |
|
NMH 12 |
SF 53-8 Sandover River |
21° 05' |
137° 50' |
|
NMH 13 |
SF 53-8 Sandover River |
21° 30' |
136° 50' |
|
NMH 14 |
SF 53-8 Sandover River |
21° 30' |
137° 15' |
|
NMH 15 |
SF 53-8 Sandover River |
21° 50' |
137° 25' |
|
NMH 16 |
SF 53-8 Sandover River |
21° 55' |
138° 00' |
|
NMH 17 |
SF 53-4 Avon Downs |
20° 25' |
137° 40' |
|
NMH 18 |
SE 53-16 Ranken |
19° 40' |
136° 55' |
|
NMH 19 |
SF 53-4 Avon Downs |
20° 30' |
137° 15' |
|
NMH 20 |
SF 53-4 Avon Downs |
20° 30' |
137° 45' |
|
NMH 21 |
SE 54-13 Camooweal |
19° 55' |
138° 05' |
|
NMH 22 |
SF 54-1 Mount Isa |
20° 15' |
138° 55' |
|
NMH 23 |
SF 54-1 Mount Isa |
20° 45' |
138° 00' |
|
NMH 24 |
SF 54-1 Mount Isa |
20° 55' |
139° 15' |
|
NMH 25 |
SF 54-1 Mount Isa |
20° 10' |
139° 25' |
|
NMH 26 |
|
|
|
|
NMH 27 |
SF 54-1 Mount Isa |
20° 55' |
138° 40' |
|
NMH 28 |
SF 53-8 Sandover River |
21° 20' |
137° 40' |
|
NMH 29 |
|
|
|
|
NMH 30 |
SF 53-8 Sandover River |
21° 55' |
136° 40' |
|
NMH 31 |
SF 53-8 Sandover River |
21° 40' |
136° 30' |
|
NMH 32 |
SF 53-8 Sandover River |
21° 10' |
136° 35' |
|
NMH 33 |
SF 53-8 Sandover River |
21° 50' |
137° 00' |
|
NMH 34 |
SF 53-7 Elkedra |
|
|
|
NMH 35 |
|
|
|
|
NMH 36 |
|
|
|
|
NMH 37 |
|
|
|
|
NMH 38 |
|
|
|
|
NMH 39 |
SE 53-8 Calvert Hills |
17° 15' |
137° 55' |
|
NMH 40 |
SE 53-8 Calvert Hills |
17° 15' |
138° 00' |
|
NMH 41 |
SE 53-8 Calvert Hills |
17° 15' |
137° 20' |
|
NMH 42 |
SE 54-1 Mornington |
17° 00' |
138° 00' |
|
NMH 43 |
|
|
|
|
NMH 44 |
|
|
|
|
NMH 45 |
|
|
|
|
NMH 46 |
SE 52-12 Winnecke Creek |
16° 50' |
131° 15' |
|
NMH 47 |
SE 54-13 Camooweal |
19° 30' |
138° 55' |
|
NMH 48 |
SF 53-4 Avon Downs |
20° 00' |
137° 55' |
|
NMH 49 |
SE 53-16 Ranken |
19° 30' |
138° 00' |
|
NMH 50 |
SE 53-16 Ranken |
19° 05' |
137° 55' |
|
NMH 51 |
SE 53-12 Mount Drummond |
18° 50' |
137° 05' |
|
NMH 52 |
SE 53-16 Ranken |
19° 05' |
136° 40' |
|
NMH 53 |
SE 53-15 Alroy |
19° 15' |
136° 20' |
|
NMH 54 |
SE 53-15 Alroy |
19° 15' |
136° 05' |
|
NMH 55 |
SE 53-11 Brunette Downs |
18° 55' |
135° 10' |
|
NMH 56 |
SE 52-4 Victoria River Downs |
16° 20' |
131° 30' |
|
NMH 57 |
SE 52-4 Victoria River Downs |
16° 50' |
131° 15' |
|
NMH 58 |
SE 52-8 Wave Hill |
17° 00' |
131° 10' |
|
NMH 59 |
SE 53-14 Tennant Creek |
19° 05' |
133° 35' |
|
NMH 60 |
SE 53-14 Tennant Creek |
19° 15' |
133° 50' |
|
NMH 61 |
SE 53-14 Tennant Creek |
19° 30' |
133° 50' |
|
NMH 62 |
SE 53-14 Tennant Creek |
19° 15' |
134° 25' |
|
NMH 63 |
SE 53-14 Tennant Creek (4 Mile series) |
19° 35' |
134° 10' |
|
NMH 64 |
SE 53-14 Tennant Creek |
19° 50' |
133° 55' |
|
NMH 65 |
SE 53-14 Tennant Creek |
19° 55' |
133° 55' |
|
NMH 66 |
SE 53-14 Tennant Creek |
19° 55' |
134° 25' |
*The 1948 National Mapping field survey party comprised: Dave Hocking Field Assistant (Survey), and Don McKay Driver (Survey). Chief Topographic Surveyor Lindsay Rimington was with the survey party for the first 2 weeks. As indicated in this table, several of Dave Hocking’s 1948 astro fixes were not located during research for this article;
(#) coordinates were determined by Paul Wise and are accurate to about 5 minutes of arc; datum was 1933 Clarke 1858 based on the origin being the Sydney Observatory.
Map showing 1948 astrofixes by Dave Hocking*
*Plotted by Paul Wise, locations are accurate to about 5 minutes of arc.