MCLELLAN, Charles Lawson
| Service Number: | 3423 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 July 1915, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Goodwood, South Australia, 16 April 1889 |
| Home Town: | Goodwood, Unley, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Goodwood Public School |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Accidentally shot through head, Corbie, France, 11 April 1918, aged 28 years |
| Cemetery: |
Namps-au-Val British Cemetery, France Namps-Au-Val British Cemetery (Plot II, Row A, Grave No. 14), Namps-au-Val British Cemetery, Namps au Val, Amiens, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | A.W.Sandford & Co. Ltd., Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Goodwood Public School WW1 Roll of Honor, Goodwood St George Anglican Church Memorial Tower, SA Caledonian Society Soldiers Memorial WW1 Honour Board, Unley Arch of Remembrance, Unley Goodwood Presbyterian Church WW1 Roll of Honor, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 26 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 1915: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 3423, 10th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Benalla embarkation_ship_number: A24 public_note: '' |
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| 27 Oct 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3423, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Benalla, Adelaide | |
| 29 Feb 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3423, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
| 12 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3423, 50th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières | |
| 14 Aug 1916: | Wounded Battle for Pozières , General Shrapnel Wound to Face | |
| 2 Apr 1917: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 3423, 50th Infantry Battalion, The Outpost Villages - German Withdrawal to Hindenburg Line, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3423 awm_unit: 50 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-04-11 |
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| 5 Apr 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3423, 50th Infantry Battalion, Dernancourt/Ancre |
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Private Charles 'Chuck' McLellan death, if anything can only be considered as collateral damage.
On the 10th April 1918 the 50th Battalion was behind the lines, billeted near Corbie, just after coming out of the line preventing the German Spring Offensive breaking through near Dernancourt. The previous day, another member of the 50th Battalion, Private Percy Style (/explore/people/89144) had got in trouble with the AIF Military Police or ANZAC Provost Corp and he had fled. On the 10th April the Provost Corp saw Style but he threatened to shot them. During this time he had managed to escape inside a house where other members of the 50th Battalion were billeted. As the military police approached the house Style shoved his gun out the door warning them off. By this time the police were still some distance away from the house but when they saw his gun poking out the door they opened fire on the man. One of the bullets hit Private McLellan in the head who was standing roughly 40 feet away from the door when the shot was fired. Upon being assisted he was still conscious and responding well, commenting to several others that he expected "to get to Blighty with this." He was taken to a casualty clearing station but the next day despite all help he received he died of his wounds.
A Court of Inquiry was held on the 10th May 1918 and found that both Private McLellan and Lance Corporal Reginald Thomas Gowling (/explore/people/258136) were both innocent and none of them were to blame for the incident that occurred that day. Thus another distinguished soldier's career was ended accidentally as nothing more than collateral damage.
A Runner for B Company, he was well liked, cheerful and a Company favourite.
1914/15 Star: 4291
British War Medal: 22057
Victory Medal: 21982
Memorial Plaque: 343079
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