William Wood McLean MC
Rank: Lieutenant
Date of Death: 23/09/1918
Regiment/Service: Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (2nd Bn.)
Cemetery: Domino British Cemetery, Epehy
Rutherglen Lore information: Son of Mrs. McLean, 65 Greenhill Road, Rutherglen.
Soldier’s effects information: Mrs. Helen McLean.
Glasgow University information: William Wood McLean was born in Glasgow around 1892. He was the second son of Mr and Mrs John McLean, and the family lived at 65 Greenhill Road, Rutherglen. William was educated at Macdonald School in Rutherglen and, from 1905 at Allan Glen’s School before commencing degree studies at the University of Glasgow.
William matriculated in the college of Arts in 1911. In his first year he took Maths, Natural Philosophy, and Latin, and successfully passed the Latin and Maths exams. Natural Philosophy presented him with a struggle however, and he was required to retake the exam a number of times before he was successful.
By the time William was taking his final year exams, the war was well into its first year. He passed his final year Astronomy exam in March 1915, but withdrew from the Maths and Natural Philosophy exams he was due to take in October the same year. In September 1915 he received his commission into the 2nd Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
William was a successful soldier. He was made a Temporary 2nd Lieutenant on the 26th November 1917, and was awarded the Military Cross. On the 23rd September 1918, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders attacked the area of Limerick Post near the Hindenburg Line. They quickly faced a huge counter-attack, which lasted nearly eight hours, and ended only when the Battalion ran out of ammunition and were forced to retreat. At some point in the attack William was killed.
Lieutenant William Wood McLean was killed at the age of 26, leaving a young widow. His is remembered on the Roll of Honour of Allan Glen’s School.
1901 census information:
Address: 22 Regent Street, Rutherglen.
Father: John (38) tinsmith gas fitter, born about 1863 in Bridgeton.
Mother: Margaret (35) born about 1866 in Rutherglen.
Brother: Hugh (10) born about 1891 in Glasgow.
Self: William (8) born about 1893 in Glasgow.
Brother: John (16) born about 1895 in Rutherglen.
Brother: Claud (5 months) born about 1900 in Rutherglen.
1911 census information:
The family are living in Rutherglen. The family comprises Margaret 45, Hugh 20, William W 18, John 16 and Claude W 10.
Additional information: William was born in 1892 in Maryhill his parents were John McLean and Margaret Wood, he married Helen Young Campbell in 1917 in Maryhill.
Also commemorated on the memorial in Rutherglen Old Parish Church, Allan Glen School, Glasgow and Glasgow University.
