Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Douglas Rawei McLean was born on 12 April 1892 at Dunedin, the youngest son of Alexander and Selina (née Ridgway) McLean. His parents, both from Victoria, Australia, had married in 1883 at Dunedin, where their three sons and two daughters were born. Douglas, perhaps known as Rawei, was educated at George Street School, Dunedin, where his father taught.

D. R. McLean and five companions were present at a farewell social at the Waimate Hotel on 5 January 1915. He left by the second express the next day. Douglas enlisted on 7 January 1915 at Trentham. At the time he was a bank clerk at Waimate, single and Presbyterian. He named his father as next-of kin – Alexander McLean, Alexandra, Central Otago. He had served with the High School Cadets, Dunedin. Very soon after arriving at Trentham, R. McLean was promoted to corporal.

Corporal D. R. McLean embarked with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion of the 4th Reinforcements, departing from Wellington on 17 April 1915. He had been a member of a party of the 4th Reinforcements who visited Waimate during Easter and then returned to Trentham “on the eve of sailing for England direct.” As of 14 April 1917, R. D. McLean was to be Second Lieutenant. “Among the list of promotions on the field is the name of 6/1917 Corporal D. R. M’Lean, son of Mr A. M’Lean, headmaster of the Alexandra District High school. Corporal M’Lean left Zealand with the 4th Reinforcements on April 25, 1915, and was on Gallipoli until the vacation. He was transferred to France and was slightly wounded in the Somme battle. At one time he was associated with Mr Bodkin, but at the time of his enlistment was in the bank at Waimate. One of the greatest honours conferred on a man is promotion on the field, and we congratulate Lieut. M’Lean on his promotion, and also Mr and Mrs M’Lean on their son’s success.” [Alexander Herald and Central Otago Gazette. 10 Oct 1917.]

Second Lieutenant R. D. McLean returned to New Zealand with Draft No. 201, which was dued at Wellington from England in mid December 1918. He was discharged on 18 January 1919 after four years and 13 days of service. For his service in all theatres of war, he received the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. The name of Corp. D. R. McLean appeared regularly on the Waimate Daily Advertiser Roll of Honour under the sub-title of Answered the Call.

Douglas Rawei McLean, “of the staff of the Union Bank of Australia, Napier (late Lieutenant Second Machine Gun Company, N.Z.E.F.),” married Elsie May Power at her father’s residence, Bonny Glen, Te Kuiti, on 30 September 1920. They had a family of girls. Douglas Rawei McLean died on 1 June 1976 at Te Kuiti, aged 84 years. He was predeceased by his wife Elsie (1973) and survived by four daughters. He was cremated, his ashes being interred in the Garden of Remembrance at Glenfield Cemetery, Auckland. His father, Alexander McLean, died very suddenly on the Cromwell Bowling Green on 2 December 1922; his mother died in 1947. His brother, Alson Hadfield McLean, was listed on the Reserve Rolls.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museumm Cenotaph Database [06 July 2022]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [07 July 2022]; School Admission record (Dunedin Branch NZSG) [17 July 2022]; Cremation & burial record (Auckland Counil) [17 July 2022]; Waimate Daily Advertiser, 6 & 27 January 1915, 6 April 1915, 9 October 1917, 30 May 1918, NZ Times, 28 September 1917, 11 December 1918, Dominion, 11 December 1918, NZ Herald, 4 November 1920 (Papers Past) [18 September 2019; 17 July 2022]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file
• Other military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available.

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, Teresa Scott, South Canterbury Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.