MCELROY, Anthony William Harold
| Service Number: | S75784 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 April 1942 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 9th (SA) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) |
| Born: | Penola, South Australia, 3 July 1902 |
| Home Town: | Coonawarra, Wattle Range, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Penola Area School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Natural Causes, Penola, South Australia, 11 June 1988, aged 85 years |
| Cemetery: |
Penola (Old) Cemetery Buried with his parents, and later his wife. Plot 73/74A |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 24 Apr 1942: | Involvement Private, S75784 | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Apr 1942: | Enlisted Penola, SA | |
| 24 Apr 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, S75784 | |
| 2 Nov 1945: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, 9th (SA) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) |
Help us honour Anthony William Harold McElroy's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Michelle MCSHANE
Harold was the second child and eldest son of Anthony & Jane. He was born at Monbulla whilst his parents were living on Robe Road Penola. He was baptised at the St Andrews Church in Penola in the August.
When he was young the family moved to 'Hawthorn' a 40 acre property two miles north of Penola, where he grew up with his 3 brothers and 3 sisters. (Later 'Hawthorn' became his youngest sister Annie's property).
He attended Penola Primary School by walking the 2 miles into town.
As a child Harold (as he was known) helped his mother with the cows and also his father with the horses and chaff cutting. When his father brought the farm at Comaum, called "The Old Farm" he helped with running sheep, stripping bark and trapping rabbits.
As he grew older he played tennis and football for the Penola teams, which is where he was nicknamed 'Blazer'.
During the Depression on the 1930's, his father started a new farming venture of growing tobacco which made a good income for the first few years but a disease spoiled the plants and made it no longer viable.
In 1925 Harold bought his first car - a dark blue Chevrolet with a soft top. One of the first people to ride in his car was Dorothy - who later became his wife.
After their wedding in 1934 they toured through Victoria for their honeymoon and settled in Coonawarra where they purchased land from his Aunt.
They built a three roomed house and called it "Mac Vale" (eventually as their family grew so did the house).
He was very community minded and well respected and always willing to support appeals in the district.
Harold and Dorothy were members of the St Andrews Presbyterian Church in Penola all their lives. He was Superintendant of the Sunday School where he taught a few of his grandchildren (myself included) and was also an Elder - and a member of the Foresters Lodge.
Harold & Dorothy raised 9 children (1 son and 8 daughters).
He was a great story teller and many of his 29 grand children would sit listening to his stories whilst sucking on humbugs (licorice lollies/candy).
Sadly Grandpa passed away aged 85.
He was buried at the Old Penola Cemetery with his parents (and later his wife Dorothy was to join them).
Biography contributed by VWM Australia
Ancestry Family Tree
Anthony William Harold McElroy
Birth 03 JUL 1902 • Monbulla, South Australia, Australia
Death 11 JUN 1988 • Penola Hospital, South Australia, Australia