COMPASS

Description: .1 COMPASS CASE. 3.2 CM HT. X 7 CM WTH. X 8.1 CM LTH. LEATHER, BRASS. "WALKE..." SCRATCHED ON CASE SIDE. .2 COMPASS. 2 CM HT. X 5.4 CM DIA. ENGINEER'S STYLE WITH SIGHTING LINE. ADJUSTABLE NORTH INDICATOR "THE ONTARIO HUGHES-OWENS CO LTD." "OTTAWA" STAMPED ON CASE. "72" ON INSIDE OF CASE.

History: USED BY CANADIAN MILITARY IN W.W.I. *UPDATE* IN 2012 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT DAVID SMITH CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MILITARY OBJECTS. THE ORIGINAL OWNER IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN GEORGE MCKILLOP (DONOR) BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT MCKILLOP FOUGHT IN WWI DURING WHICH THE COMPAS WAS USED. HE SPOKE WITH ANNAMARIE HARPER (GRANDAUGHTER OF GEORGE MCKILLOP) VIA TELEPHONE WHO SAID THAT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO CONFIRM THE OWNER OF THE COMPAS WAS GEORGE MCKILLOP. HOWEVER, THE COMPAS IS THE ONLY MILITARY OBJECT MCKILLOP DONATED DESPITE HIS SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN FOUNDING THE MUSEUM. ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION ON GEORGE MCKILLOP'S WEDDING PORTRAIT IN THE GALT ARCHIVES, "SHORTLY BEFORE WWI, GEORGE MCKILLOP JOINED THE ARMY. HE SERVED AS A PHYSICAL TRAINING AND MUSKETRY INSTRUCTOR, AND LATER WITH THE 2ND TANK BATTALION IN ENGLAND. AT WAR'S END MCKILLOP RETURNED TO LETHBRIDGE AND RESUMED HIS FORMER JOB WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, A POSITION HE HELD FOR THE NEXT 42 YEARS. MCKILLOP ALSO SERVED DURING WORLD WAR 2, AND WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF CAPTAIN IN 1945. HE RECEIVED THE GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL (1914-1918), KING GEORGE V JUBILEE MEDAL (1935) AND THE EFFICIENCY DECORATION (1943). MCKILLOP WAS ALSO MADE A MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE." MCKILLOP'S OBITUARY CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN THE GALT ARCHIVES. HE PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 77 YEARS ON FEBRUARY 18TH, 1974. FOR MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING RECORDS FROM LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA, PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE.