Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

George Douglas McLean, as sergeant, was awarded the D.C.M, for conspicuous gallantry in at Pozieres when he was attached to the 4th Light Trench Mortar unit. He fought his trench mortar single handed for two days in an exposed position, and did a great job covering infantry working parties.

He was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant, then wounded and captured at Bullecourt on the 11 April 1917, being repatriated back to England in late 1918.

Lieutenant George Douglas McLean DCM, son of Mr. G.A. McLean, Wellington Road Norwood, wrote the following letter to his mother, he describes the subsequent raid in which he was wounded and eventually captured by the Germans: — 'I am in a different part of the world from where I expected to be when I wrote you last. I have been through exciting and interesting experience. On the Monday after I wrote, we received orders to attack the German line, and advanced about a mile to a road 1,000 yards from the trench we were to capture. We went out about midnight to attack before dawn. At about 4.30 am owing to some delay, it was discovered that the attack could not come off, and as it was getting light, we had to retire over the open to our dugouts. Snow covered the ground and-it was fine to see thousands of men doing an orderly retirement. Shells were falling in all directions, for we were by this time under observation. We however had very few casualties. About 100 yards from home, we were marching single file, and a shell burst on us, killed three wounded No. 4, and I was No. 5, and was untouched. At 1 a.m. the five officers of our company had coffee together, and shortly after moved but again. We were lined below the bank of a road 1,000 yards from the German line waiting the order to advance, when a shell landed and killed 10 men of my platoon. At 4.45 as dawn was approaching, we started off in four waves. I was in No. 3. wave. The enemy machine guns were playing on us unmercifully, and men were dropping everywhere; but not a man faltered. On they went for 1,000 yards. The. barbed wire had not been cut sufficiently by our artillery to allow us through, and the lads smashed and chopped at it with their rifles-another page of heroism to the history of the brigade. Our flanks were unprotected, and bullets were raining through from a village on either flank. I had just passed the wire, and was within five yards of the trench when a bullet passed through my helmet and struck my forehead. I was dazed and toppled over, and then got one through the leg. However, I managed to reach the trench, which was a sap out from the main line. A comrade bandaged me up and I went along the sap to the main trench— which our boys had captured— and discovered the cost of the advance. Of the five officers who had coffee together four hours before, two were killed and two were wounded. I tried to make myself busy about the trench but there was little we could do but hang on until ammunition came along as we only had what we had carried with us. I was told to lie down in a deep German dugout in the trench. I went down; it was full of wounded, and a captured German was attending to the wounds. I had not been there long when several bombs landed in the dugout and German voices were heard above. The German who had been tending the wounded called out, and explained the position, and presently we were filed out and were compelled to make our way towards Germany. Our people were showering shells over, and of course, owing to our wounds we could not move quickly. Several of our lads were killed by our own shells, and others had wounds added to those they had previously received. We had a tedious tramp and reached a military barracks, where we were examined, and had to hand over all papers. I met other officers from our battalion. We were given a room to sleep in, and I slept well. Next day we were motored to a casualty clearing station, and the day following we entrained. This was Friday and we were in the train until Sunday at 3 o’clock, - when we were taken to a fine hospital, had a bath, our wounds were dressed, and after, a good meal we went off to bed. This was., too good to lost. Next day we had another train trip, which lasted until we arrived at Karlsruhe on Tuesday afternoon. Since then. I have been locked in a small bedroom in a large hotel with an English officer. I am quite comfortable, having a nice bed and other furniture, and good meals; but I am anxious to get away to the big officers' camp, when I believe there is more freedom. 1 don't want you to worry about me, mother, dear; I am well off, and am gaining more experience and seeing more sights.’

Register (Adelaide) Wednesday 15 August 1917.