Andrew McLean

Menin Gate Memorial. Authors image

43210 Private

6th/7th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers, 45th Infantry Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division.  

Date of death: 31.7.17

Buried: Menin Gate Memorial Panel 19

Family history: Son of the late John McLean and the late Jane McLean of Kirn near Dunoon. He had three elder bothers and two younger sisters, he listed his sister Jane, Jeanie, as his next of kin. He was a time served plasterer and was living in Bo’ness when he enlisted in the 6th/7th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers. Two other Bo’ness men serving in the Battalion were killed on the same day Private William Pow and Private Alexander Harley.

Action leading to his death

The Battalion was involved in the opening attack of Third Ypres, listed in the Nomenclature as the Battle of Pilkem Ridge. The front of the 15th (Scottish) Division ran from Potijze Road to the Roulers Railway, immediately facing Frezenberg Ridge. The 46th Brigade was on the left of the assault, 44th Brigade on the right with the 45th Brigade ready in reserve to exploit the advance made. The first objective was the enemy front and support lines, the second, the second line, and the third the defensive system fifteen hundred yards further east. When the first two objective had been taken the 45th Brigade was to advance and attack the third. The attack went in at 3.50am on 31 July and by 10am the Frezenberg Ridge had been taken and it seemed that the second position had also been carried. The 45th Brigade advanced against the third objective with the 6/7th Battalion on the right and the 6th Camerons on the left with the 11th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and the 13th Royal Scots in support. At 10.18am the advance began and immediately the Battalion came under heavy machine gun fire and heavy losses occurred. The Battalion reached the wire in front of the German block house redoubt known as ‘Bremen Redoubt’ by which time most of its officers were casualties. By 11.30am the 6th Camerons were established in the third position and the Royal Scots Fusiliers had one company east of Potsdam Redoubt however, they were not in touch with the two just west of Bremen Redoubt, while the fourth company was well behind on the Ypres to Zonnebeke road.

Trench map showing the trench lines and the area of the action

The Germans counter attacked at 2pm and the Camerons were forced to withdraw and with the help of the Royal Scots managed to stabilise the line by 5.30pm. The Royal Scots Fusiliers were now reduced to 150 men and had been brought back to the old German first line in preparation for an attack on Beck House (the attack did not go ahead until 2 August), a block house in the old German second line which was still held by them. The isolated company of the Battalion that had been east of Potsdam Redoubt fell back to strengthen the left. At 3am on 1 August the Battalion was relieved by the 8/10th Gordon Highlanders. Andrew’s body was lost and he is listed on the Menin Gate Memorial.

Medals Awarded

Victory Medal, British War Medal

Private Andrew McLean, Medal Index Card