Arthur McIlveen
Encyclopedia
Brigadier
Sir Arthur William McIlveen MBE
(29 June 1886 – 1 May 1979) was an Australia
n Salvation Army
officer and soldier. McIlveen was born in Brodies Plains, a town near Inverell, in the state of New South Wales
. He was the son of a farmer
, William McIlveen, and Annie Lucinda, née Lockrey. Leaving school at the age of 14, McIlveen became a tin miner
in Tingha, New South Wales
.
McIlveen trained as a cadet
for the Salvation Army
during 1911-12, becoming dux
of his session. On 12 January 1916 McIlveen married a fellow Salvation army officer, Elizabeth Mary Mundell, in Richmond
. Although he was refused permission to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force
for World War I
by his superiors, McIlveen disobeyed orders and enlisted on 9 July 1918. While he was traveling to Britain
the war ended and he was discharged in January 1919. After the war, McIlveen was appointed to Dubbo by the Salvation Army, assisting those suffering from the Spanish Influenza. After his departure in 1921, he worked in various country towns in New South Wales, and also in Sydney
, Melbourne
and Toowoomba. McIlveen was promoted to brigadier
in 1938.
Following the start of World War II
McIlveen joined the 18th Brigade of the Second Australian Imperial Force
on 26 February 1940 as a welfare officer. Reaching Egypt in December 1940, he became an unofficial padre
to many of the other brigades serving in the Middle East and was known for playing phonograph
s in the battlefield. After returning to Australia in March 1942 he became the Salvation Army's secretary for prison-work until his retirement in 29 June 1951.
For his services towards the Salvation Army McIlveen was appointed MBE
in 1961, awarded the Order of the Founder
in 1967 and was knighted in 1970. McIlveen was the subject of a television documentary screened by the Australian Broadcasting Commission
in 24 April 1977. He died in the Concord Repatriation General Hospital
on 1 May 1979 and was buried with full military honours in Woronora. In his honour a Salvation Army research center and museum at Bexley North was named after him.
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Sir Arthur William McIlveen MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(29 June 1886 – 1 May 1979) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
officer and soldier. McIlveen was born in Brodies Plains, a town near Inverell, in the state of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. He was the son of a farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
, William McIlveen, and Annie Lucinda, née Lockrey. Leaving school at the age of 14, McIlveen became a tin miner
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
in Tingha, New South Wales
Tingha, New South Wales
Tingha is a small town on the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia in Guyra Shire. It is 30 kilometres south of Inverell and 629 kilometres north-north-east of Sydney. Tingha is an Aboriginal word for ‘flat or level'.-History:...
.
McIlveen trained as a cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
for the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
during 1911-12, becoming dux
Dux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
of his session. On 12 January 1916 McIlveen married a fellow Salvation army officer, Elizabeth Mary Mundell, in Richmond
Richmond, New South Wales
Richmond is a town in New South Wales, north-west of Sydney, in the Local Government Area of the City of Hawkesbury. It is located at a latitude of 33° 35' 54" South and a longitude of 150°45' 04" east, 19 metres above sea level on the alluvial Hawkesbury River flats, at the foot of the Blue...
. Although he was refused permission to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
for World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
by his superiors, McIlveen disobeyed orders and enlisted on 9 July 1918. While he was traveling to Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
the war ended and he was discharged in January 1919. After the war, McIlveen was appointed to Dubbo by the Salvation Army, assisting those suffering from the Spanish Influenza. After his departure in 1921, he worked in various country towns in New South Wales, and also in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Toowoomba. McIlveen was promoted to brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
in 1938.
Following the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
McIlveen joined the 18th Brigade of the Second Australian Imperial Force
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
on 26 February 1940 as a welfare officer. Reaching Egypt in December 1940, he became an unofficial padre
Padre
Padre may refer to:* Partnership for Acid Drainage Remediation in Europe PADRE* An IDE for the Perl programming language, see Padre * A Military Chaplain* A member of the San Diego Padres baseball team...
to many of the other brigades serving in the Middle East and was known for playing phonograph
Phonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
s in the battlefield. After returning to Australia in March 1942 he became the Salvation Army's secretary for prison-work until his retirement in 29 June 1951.
For his services towards the Salvation Army McIlveen was appointed MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1961, awarded the Order of the Founder
Order of the Founder
In 1917, five years after the death of the founder of the Salvation Army William Booth, his son, General Bramwell Booth, inaugurated the Order of the Founder to recognise Salvationists who had rendered distinguished service, such as would have specially commended itself to the Founder. The first...
in 1967 and was knighted in 1970. McIlveen was the subject of a television documentary screened by the Australian Broadcasting Commission
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
in 24 April 1977. He died in the Concord Repatriation General Hospital
Concord Repatriation General Hospital
Concord Repatriation General Hospital , commonly referred to as simply Concord Hospital, is a major hospital in Sydney, Australia, located on Hospital Road in Concord...
on 1 May 1979 and was buried with full military honours in Woronora. In his honour a Salvation Army research center and museum at Bexley North was named after him.