Private
Raymond Charles
McLean
Raymond Charles McLean was born on the 17th of January 1911 in Murwillumbah New South Wales, to Mr Charles McLean and Mrs Annie Mabel McLean (nee McDonald). Raymond was their only surviving child, he did have one unnamed older sister who appears to have died at birth.
| Service Number: | QX17385 |
| Place of Enlistment: | Kelvin Grove |
| Age of Enlistment: | 29 Years 6 Month |
| Date Of Enlistment: | 29th July 1940 |
| Embarked: | Melbourne, 30th of July 1941 |
| Transport Ship: | HMAT ‘EE’ for Singapore |
| Medals: | 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal, Australian Service Medal |
| Place of Death: | Wounded in Action Malaya 29th of January 1942 Taken Prisoner of War, 15th of February 1942, Singapore Died of Illness, (old wounds and dysentery) on the 5th of May 1943, Myanmar |
| Resting Place: | Buried Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery A10. F. 11, Myanmar |
| Unit: | 2/26th Australian Infantry Battalion |
Additional Information:
Raymond Charles McLean was born on the 17th of January 1911 in Murwillumbah New South Wales, to Mr Charles McLean and Mrs Annie Mabel McLean (nee McDonald). Raymond was their only surviving child, he did have one unnamed older sister who appears to have died at birth. At the time of his enlistment, Raymond was living in Upper Coomera, where he was working as a farm labourer. On the 14th of September, 1940, the then Private Raymond McLean married Catherine Mary O'Connor in Brisbane Queensland.
Private McLean was Wounded in Action during the Malaya campaign. He was taken prisoner by the Japanese at the fall of Singapore and died of illness in captivity.
During the 70-day Japanese campaign in Malaya and Singapore, Commonwealth casualties amounted to 8,708 killed or wounded and 138,000 captured. Of the 18,490 Australian troops deployed, 1,789 were killed and 1,306 were wounded, with most of the surviving troops becoming prisoners of war. In total 38,496 British, 67,340 Indian and 14,382 local troops served in this campaign, most of whom were captured. It was the worst defeat for British Commonwealth forces in the entire Second World War.
More than 8,000 Australians died in Japanese captivity, most of these deaths were due to the indifference and brutality of their captors. Conditions were particularly brutal for those prisoners who were forced to build the Thai-Burma Railroad. 2,815 Australians, over 11,000 other allied prisoners and roughly 75,000 Asian labourers died due to the relentless labour and inadequate rations.
Private McLean appears to have no surviving close relatives. His young widow Catherine, passed away on the 13th of May 1949 and his parents subsequently passed away.
Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery - Photo Find a Grave Muriel Butler
Medals & Awards
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The 1939–45 Star is a campaign medal awarded to Australians who had served between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945 for a minimum of 6 months, or two months for air crew personnel.
The Pacific Star was awarded for operational service in the Pacific Theatre of Operations between 8 December 1941 and 2 September 1945.
The War Medal 1939-45 was awarded for 28 days full time service in the armed forces over the duration of the Second Word War.
Civilians who worked with the armed services as well as those who served in military hospitals also received this medal.
The Australia Service Medal 1939-45 was instituted in 1949 to recognise the service of members of the Australian Armed Forces and the Australian Mercantile Marine during World War II.
2/26th Battalion unit patch
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