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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

WE McLean


goldsrobin

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My grandfather, WE McLean served in the RFC/RAF from August 1917 until he was injured in a plane crash in April 1918. However, before he joined the RFC he was reputed to have served in the 'Guards'. I can find no service record, but these photos suggest that he did serve in the infantry. I cannot make progress with identifying a regiment and wonder whether any of the experts on the Forum can do better.

I would be very grateful for any pointers.

Best wishes,

Robin

post-93782-0-99851700-1361295121_thumb.j

post-93782-0-77589000-1361295130_thumb.j

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There is are 2 MIC's I can see for a W Mclean but neither show the Guards.

Description:

Medal card of McLean, William

Corps Regiment No Rank

Royal Scots Fusiliers 12981 Private

Royal Flying Corps 135567 Private

King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 38482 Private

Medal card of McLean, W

Corps Regiment No Rank

Army Cyclist Corps 7259 Lance Corporal

Royal Flying Corps 93775 Lance Corporal

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The second photo shows he was, presumably, in the cavalry. His MIC may be under a 'MacLean' instead of McLean, a common enough mistake and one i've come across myself with my great-grandfather who was a McLean

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Robin,

Assuming that your Grandfather is William Ernest McLean, there is a service record for him at the National Archives, at http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C11962708 This would need to be ordered direct from them, as it is not available online.

Also, Findmypst has the 1918 RAF Muster Roll, which has an image for WE McLean, number 117151 {sames as for The National Archives}. This will give you some basic information.

Regards,

Alf McM

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Thanks for the replies. His name was William Esler McLean. He was born in Belfast on 25 Sep 1892.

I believe that the sword is an infantry pattern sword but I cannot deduce more than that. The charger and sword strongly suggest that he was commissioned. He certainly was commissioned when in the RFC/RAF. The bandolier, I read somewhere else, is, I think, a 1903 pattern, but I am not able draw any deductions from that.

Thanks

Robin

Edited by goldsrobin
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Thanks Alf. His RAF number was PI17288. I have all the information on his time in the RFC/RAF up to the time of his discharge. I am trying to piece together what he did before joining the RFC in August 1917. Hence the two photos in uniform.

Best wishes

Robin

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Looks like him in 1911

William Ealer Mclean aged 18 and a Mechanical Engineer living with his step grandfather in 162 Church Lane, Handsworth, West Bromwich, Staff

There is also a MIC for a W E Mclean / Maclean, 9285 / 224127. 1/5 Royal Scots Fusiliers who's got 15* / BWN / VM and in the remarks, he's dis ent (or similar)

Grant

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Hi Grant,

That's interesting. West Bromwich makes sense as does the mechanical engineer description. The address he signed up with was 26 Parkway where his father and step-mother lived.

I will follow up the 1/5 Royal Scots Fusiliers lead. Interested to know when he joined up and when he went to France.

Many thanks for your help.

Robin

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Robin

I'd tentatively suggest that the 'Guards' reference is actually Dragoon Guards, the two photos suggest cavalry to me and I think I can see 1/DG on his shoulder title although I could be mistaken.

As for finding no service records are you aware that William Esler McLean has an officer's personal file at NA, Kew? It's held there under reference:

Reference: WO 339/113499

Description: McLEAN W

Date: 1914-1922

These files are not available online but you can order a copy, or get to Kew and look at it yourself. For an officer commissioned from the ranks there's usually a copy of his original attestation form etc. in the file.

Regards

Steve

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Steve,

I am very grateful for this. I had not discovered his record under WO339 although I have his record from the AIR section. I am due a visit to Kew soon and will go through it there. I am slightly surprised that his army record of service did not follow him into his Air record of service. One might have thought that there would be a mention of transferred from etc.

The detail of the first photo I found slightly puzzling. The sword is an infantry pattern (not a sabre) but I thought that only officers of field rank were mounted. He clearly was very junior. The photo is posed and his seat looks very stiff to me as if he was not really trained in equitation.

Anyway, many thanks for your information. It certainly brings me nearer to understanding what he did prior to 1917.

Kind regards

Robin

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The detail of the first photo I found slightly puzzling. The sword is an infantry pattern (not a sabre) but I thought that only officers of field rank were mounted.

Robin

I still believe all the clues in the photos point to him being a cavalryman and not infantry, I'm no expert but the sword looks like the 1908 Pattern Cavalry Trooper's sword to me.

Regards

Steve

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I agree with Steve, it is definitely the 1908 Pattern Cavalry Trooper's sword. Reputed to be the best cavalry sword ever designed, ironically just as the sword's use as a useful weapon of war was passing into history.

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What does the writing on the bottom right hand corner of the first photo say ?

Grant

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Grant,

I believe it says 'JE Langton, Wolverhampton' which I would take to be the studio.

Robin

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Steve & Frogsmile,

If you are right about the sword, then Steve's suggestion of Dragoon Guards looks to be reinforced. I can't wait to get at the records.It is a pity that the image of the buttons is not clearer.

Thank you so much for your insights.

Robin

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Robin

A little sidetrack to this thread but did you ever find William Esler Mclean's MC citation? If not then London Gazette #30813, 26th July 1918, Page 8821 has this.....

T./2nd Lt. William Elser MacLean, R.A.F.

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During recent operations this officer carried out a contact patrol in a thick mist at a height of only 150 feet under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire, and flew daily during the misty weather at low altitudes, bringing back much useful information about the enemy, and harassing them with machine gun and bombs. It was greatly due to his magnificent work that headquarters were kept informed of the enemy's movements during the different phases of the battle. By his gallant and cheerful spirit at a time when the squadron was suffering heavy casualties he set a splendid example to the others.

Link to the Gazette is here...http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30813/supplements/8821

Regards

Steve

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Proberly a stupid question, but the man in the 1st photo, is he definatly your Grandfather ?

Reason for asking, it seem strange for a photographer to put his own name on the front of a photo, not on the back and there is an MIC for a J G Langton, who was in the Leicestershires, RE and the RAF (with a commissary). I was wondering if it could be a mates photo

Grant

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I can see "A. E. Langd" which would fit with Albert Edward Langdon, a photographer in Wolverhampton with a shop at 57 Darlington Street according to the 1911 census so I think it is indeed the photographer's details.

Regards

Steve

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Hi Grant,

Of that I think I can be certain. The photo was given to me by his daughter, my aunt. It was taken from their family album so I think the provenence is water-tight.

Robin

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Steve,

That is absolutely fantastic. I had not followed the citation up further for a variety of inadequate reasons, putting it off until I have more time. I am very grateful to you for digging it out.

The Forum really is a quite amazing repository of detailed information provided by a host of knowledgeable people. Perhaps a sort of First World War Wikipedia?!

Kind regards

Robin

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Robin,

Just checking, there have been a number of times on here, that "Grandfather" wasnt their Grandfather at all, in one case it was Nan's former boyfriend :-)

Grant

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  • 1 month later...

Hi Steve, Grant, Frogsmile,

I am so grateful for your input. I went to the NA today to answer these questions. You were right. He was cavalry. He was Trooper 3405 WE McLean, 2 (Res) Life Guards. As a mechanical engineer he was released, as a Trooper, in Mar 15 by the Minstry of Munitions to work with a firm of engineers in Wolverhapmton. He applied in March 1917 for a Temporary Commission and was granted a place in an Officer Cadet training establishment in Denham. So he did not deploy with the Life Guards. His first deployment was with the RFC/RAF in 1918. The uniform is that of 2 Life Guards.

Many thanks for your thoughts.

Robin

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The answer to the original question is interesting. I was at the NA last week and read the file. He was a trooper in 2 Life Guards (Res). So the identification of the sword was clearly correct. Whilst serving, he was released to the Ministry of Munitions to work for a company of mechanical engineers, Edward G Brown of 21 Villa Road, Handsworth, Birmingham. He applied in March 1917 for a Temporary Commission and was posted to join the RFC at Denham on 18 Jun 1917.

So many thanks for your contributions.

Best wishes

Robin

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  • 6 years later...

Robin,

 

I realise that this thread is rather old but hope that you will be notified of my post.

 

William Esler McLean was one of my grandfather's (Donald McLean) cousins. Which I guess makes us third cousins.

 

I have posted the front and reverse of a postcard that I have that Esler sent to my grandfather. The front is very similar to the picture that you posted at the start of this thread. Kampi-ya-Moto is the place given on his gravestone. I had assumed from the reverse of the card that he was in Kenya in 1915 but, based on what you said above, am not sure of this.

 

This is the only picture that I have of Esler (as he styles himself on the back of the postcard - as you are probably aware, his father and both grandfathers were called William so presumably 'Esler' removed the ambiguity!) I do have some other family images (including our common great-great-grandparents) which are not relevant to this site. I have tried to message you but, presumably as I only joined 24 hours ago and haven't posted, I'm allowed to send 0 messages per day. If you contact me I can let you have the other images and, hopefully, you may have some that I don't.

 

Best wishes

Richard

 

McLeanWilliamEslerUniformLowRes.jpg

McLeanWilliamEslerUniformReverseLowRes.jpg

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