Tuesday, October 21, 2008

London Gazette 2.12.19


Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

No. S/10957
Sergeant A. McLean
5th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders

On the 20th of October, 1918, in the attack on St. Louis, when his Company was held up by machine gun fire, he rushed forward alone with his Lewis gun, and, opening fire, he put the enemy gun out of action, killing two of the team, wounding one, and and causing the remainder of the enemy to retire. The machine gun was captured. On 25th and 26th October, near Ootegham, he on three separate occasions made reconnaisssances on his own initiative, and returned with valuable information of the enemy's dispositions. He showed splendid courage and did excellent work.

Published in London Gazette 2.12.19

89 years and 1 day later -- lift a glass to memory of (Grandpa) Arthur McLean, D.C.M.
(British War Medal 1914 with 1914 star)

He survived the trenches from 1914 to 1918 and brought his family to the States only to die in 1929(31?) of a pimple on his temple before the age of antibiotics. The irony...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi, I have Sergeant A. McLean in my family tree - we should compare notes! damon.francis @ outlook.com

be603 said...

Interesting. What's the connection for you?