DIGGER PROFILE - 33rd BATTALION 1st AIF
Harold George McLENNAN – R/N 1885
Harold George McLENNAN was born at Elsmore, NSW, in 1895. He died on 2nd
May1971 and was buried at the ‘Port Macquarie General Cemetery’ in NSW, aged 76 years
old.
He was one of the children of Roderick and Ellen McLENNAN.
He was a single, 21 year old Baker from Elsmore, NSW
when he enlisted in the AIF at Inverell on the 31st January
1916. He departed for the Narrabri Camp from Inverell with
the 2nd Contingent of the “KURRAJONGS”.
He embarked with the 2nd Reinforcements of the 33rd
BATTALION aboard the HMAT (A15) ‘Port Sydney’ in
Sydney on the 4th September 1916 arriving in England on the
29th October 1916.
On the 27th November 1916 he was attached to the
Permanent Cadre of the 9th Training Battalion (as an
Instructor).
On the 2nd October 1917 he proceeded from England to France and joined the 33rd Battalion
in the support lines at ‘Zonnebeke’, Belgium on the 11th October 1917. He was posted to “A”
Company.
Cropped from a group-photograph
of 33rd Battalion NCO’s taken at
METEREN, France
on the 12th January 1918
On the 17th April 1918 at ‘Villers-Bretonneux, France’ he was WOUNDED-IN-ACTION.
He was hospitalised in France and rejoined his Unit on the 27th May.
On the 8th August 1918, in the attack on ‘Accroche Wood, France’ with only two men he
rushed an active enemy post on the western edge of the Wood and succeeded in capturing
two machine-guns and 25 prisoners. For this display of gallantry he was recommended for
and awarded the MILITARY MEDAL.
On the 30th September 1918 near ‘Bony, France’ he was severely WOUNDED-INACTION. He was invalided to the UK on the 23rd October and admitted to the ‘Duchess
Connaught Red Cross Hospital’ at Taplow on the 24th.
Medals and Awards
11th November 1918 – the Armistice was signed.
In January 1919 he was invalided back to Australia aboard the ‘Ulysses’ disembarking on the
15th March 1919.
He was discharged from the AIF as ‘Medically Unfit’ on the 27th April 1919.
WW1 Service Record
Harold George McLENNAN
Regimental number
Religion
Occupation
Address
Marital status
Age at enlistment
Next of kin
1885
Enlistment date
Unit name
Rank on embarkation
AWM Embarkation Roll
Embarkation details
Nominal Roll Unit
Nominal Roll Rank
Casualty
31st January 1916
To Hospital or CSS
Fate
Family Connection
25th January 1919 – Ships Hospital (Influenza)
Presbyterian
Baker
Elsmore, NSW
Single
21 years, 3 months
Mother, Ellen McLENNAN, Elsmore, via Inverell, NSW
33rd Battalion - 2nd Reinforcements
‘Military Medal’, the ‘British War Medal’,
the ‘Victory Medal’, the ‘Returned from
Active Service Badge’, and two ‘Wound
Stripes’
Private
23/50/2
Embarked on HMAT (A15) “Port Sydney”
33rd Battalion
Lance Sergeant
17th April 1918 – Villers-Bretonneux (gassed)
30th September 1918 – Bony (penetrating GSW cheek)
Returned to Australia 18th January 1919
Brother – 2612 Roderick Ross McLENNAN, 33rd Battalion
Compiled from information and photographs provided by Bill Durrant - © Copyright May 2015