McLean-James-2979505

To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

2979505

Piper

James McLean

Known as John in Kew Files

1915/06/28 - Born Rutherglen, Scotland

(Army files have his birth year as 1910)

Son of James and Allison McLean

Occupation Regular Army

1934/01/29 - Enlisted

Next of kin- Parents, J and A McLean, 37 Muir Street, Glasgow

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

2nd Battalion

Service

Basic Training at Stirling in Scotland.

1935/11/06 - Disembarked from troop ship HMT Dorsetshire at Karachi

1935/11/09 - Joined 2nd Battalion at Rawalpindi and posted to Headquarters Company. The HQ Company notes in the 1936 Regimental Magazine, in the ‘Pipers Section’ reads “We welcome pipers Rodham and McLean from the 1st Battalion. 1936 - James was noted as an ‘Active Piper’ in the ‘Order of Battle’ and at HQ Company.

James on right front with mates

1936/0728-29 - At Gharial he was awarded his 2nd Class Certificate of Education. Every soldier in the Battalion required this certificate to furnish them with the skills if promoted.

John’s name is in the Indian General Service Medal List, for service in Waziristan

1938/12/03 - Army Order 254 of 1938, Awarded North West Frontier 1936-37

1939/08/08 - James is noted as being in ‘D’ Company when the Battalion were transported to the Far East where Lt-Col Ian Stewart prepared them for jungle warfare in Malaya, preparing them in the harshest terrain in tactics which gave them the nickname of ‘The Jungle Beasts’. They became part of the 12th Infantry Brigade.

On the 8th December 1941 the Japanese invaded the North of Malaya after landing troops on the South East coast of Thailand, they soon gained a foothold after ‘Operation Matador’ was not put into action.

The already battle primed Japanese Troops infiltrated behind the defending troops forcing them to fall back to Singapore.

1942/01/31 - At 7.30am the Argyll and Sutherland began crossing the causeway from Malaya to Singapore and the Pipes of Charles ‘Boy’ Stuart and Piper McLean played ‘A Hundred Pipers, and the Argyll’s quick march ‘Heilin’ Ladie as the Argylls withdrew in open order. Ian Stuart then gave the order to blow the causeway to prevent the Japanese an easy route to Singapore.

1942/02/15 - Singapore surrendered to the Japanese.

1942/03/13 - WO 417/40, Casualty List No. 770. Reported ‘Missing’.

1943/08/07 - WO 417/64, Casualty List No 1206. Previously posted on Casualty List No 770 as Missing. Now reported ‘Prisoner of War’.

Japanese PoW

1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore

1942/02/17 - Changi Camp

Japanese Index Card - Side One

Japanese Index Card - Side Two

1942/10/27 - Transported overland to Thailand with Letter Party ‘V’

Commander Lt-Col. Stitt 2nd Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders

Attached to Group 2

Thailand Camps:-

Chungkai, 60km from Nong Pladuk

Ban Khao, 87.93km from Nong Pladuk

Back to Chungkai Hospital with abscess, 50km from Nong Pladuk

Tha Khanun, 223.40hm from Nong Pladuk

Returns to Chungkai, 60k, from Nong Pladuk

Transported back to Singapore

1944/07/04 - Transported in Hofuku Maru (Tofuku Maru) with Japan Party 2 within Convoy SHIMI-05

1944/07/08 - Left convoy and stopped at Mira, Borneo and stayed 3 wks. with engine trouble

1944/09/12 - 52 sick taken ashore at Manila, Philippines.

1944/09/20 - The Hofuku Maru joined MATA-27 Convoy of ten ships and sailed from Manila to Japan.

1944/09/21 - The convoy was attacked by American planes and all ten ships were sunk with 997 deaths. The survivors were taken to Cabanatuan Camp, Philippines.

1944/10/13 - Sailed in Oryoko Maru, destination Japan with 1620 PoWs mostly Americans, 50 British, mostly from the Hofuku Maru sinking.

1944/10/15 - The Oryoko Maru was attacked off Bataan by US Navy planes from USS Hornet and was also sunk. PoWs managed to swim to shore but 270 PoWs died in the sinking.

1944/12/27 - The survivors were loaded into the Enoura Maru and Brazil Maru at Lingayen Bay, Philippines and set sail for Japan stopping at Taiwan. The 37 British being on board the Enoura Maru.

1944/12/31 - Arrived at Takao, Taiwan and the British were taken off the Enoura Maru and the smaller group of prisoners on the Brazil Maru were transferred to the larger Enoura Maru.

1945/01/09 - The Enoura Maru was attacked in the harbour and badly damaged by American aircraft from USS Hornet with 350 PoW deaths.

The survivors were loaded into the smaller Brazil Maru, with the 37 British who had been taken off the Enoura Maru before the ship was attacked. The ship sailed with the Melbourne Maru to Japan.

1945/01/29 - Arrived Moji, Japan

1945/02/11 - Arrived at Fukuoka 17B - Omuta

New PoW No. 17-8821

Worked in Mitsui Coal Mines

1945/08/15 - On Fukuoka 17B Roll as Lance Corporal

1945/09/15 - Liberated Fukuoka 17B

Repatriation

1945/09/27 - Sailed from Manila with USS Howze

Boarding No. 486

1945/10/15 - Arrived San Francisco

Then home in a British Ship

1945/11/01 - WO417/98, Casualty List No. 1899. Previously reported on Casualty List No. 1206 as Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya

Awards

1936 - Indian General Service Medal

1936/37 - North West Frontier Clasp

1950s - Near East General Service Medal