Wilfred Ernest McLEAN

Regimental number23/514
Date of birth1 July 1890
Place of birthOrati, Invercargill
ReligionPresbyterian
OccupationCheese factory assistant
AddressBirchwood, Nightcaps, Southland
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation25
Height5' 11"
Weight174 lbs
Next of kinFather, James H McLean, Birchwood, Nightcaps, Southland
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date28 May 1915
Place of enlistmentInvercargill
Rank on embarkationRifleman
Enlistment statusVolunteer
Unit nameNew Zealand Expeditionary Force, 1st Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, B Company
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Wellington on 10 October 1915
Final rankSergeant
Final unit1st Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade
FateKilled in Action 12 October 1917
Age at death from cemetery records27
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsTyne Cot Memorial (New Zealand Apse, Panel 7), Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records		Parents: James John Hamilton McLean and Elspeth Mary McLean, Brookvale, Ohai, Invercargill
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked Wellington, 10 October 1915; disembarked Suez, 15 November 1915.

Embarked Alexandria for Matruh, 19 December 1915; disembarked Alexandria, 18 February 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, France, 6 April 1916.

Appointed Acting Corporal, 4 September 1916; promoted corporal, 5 September 1916.

Wounded in action, 12 September 1916 (gun shot wound, neck), and admitted to No 1 NZ Field Ambulance; transferred to No 9 General Hospital, 15 September 1916; to England, 15 September 1916, and admitted to No 1 NZ General Hospital, Brockenhurst, 17 September 1916; discharged to NZ command Depot, Codford, 23 September 1916.

Marched into 5th Reserve Bn, Sling Camp, 11 November 1916.

Marched into NZ Base Depot, Etaples, France, 16 November 1916.

Joined 1st Bn, NZ Rifle Brigade, in the field, 3 December 1916, and posted to B Company.

Appointed Lance Corporal, 1 May 1917.

Attached to Corps School, 7 May 1917; rejoined unit, 30 May 1917.

Promoted sergeant, 1 June 1917.

On leave to United Kingdom, 22 September 1917; rejoined unit from leave, 3 October 1917.

Killed in action, 12 October 1917.

War service: 2 years 138 days (of which 735 days were abroad)

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous detailsNominal Roll Vol. 1: B Company/1st NZRB
SourcesArchives New Zealand (Wellington), Agency AABK, Series 18805, File 10926139