49631: Alexander Maclennan

Alexander, born 1892, was a son of Donald and Christina nee Matheson, 24 Valtos. He emigrated to Canada before the outbreak of WW1.

A page dedicated to him in the Loyal Lewis Roll of Honour reads as follows:-

Capt Alexander Maclennan, of the 16th Batt. Canadians, son of Mr Donald Maclennan, 24 Valtos, and a former pupil of the Niicolson Institute, enlisted at the outbreak of war and went to France, where he was wounded.In April 1918, he was awarded the Military Cross. The official memorandum of the award is as follows:

‘During a raid he made repeated reconnaissances of the most daring and thorough nature on the previous nights. He made a careful preparation for the raid and took part in the attack, collecting maps and papers that contained valuable information. His courage, coolness and perseverance were a fine example to all.’

A bar was added to his MC in August of the same year when –

‘He played an important part in keeping the Battalion in proper direction through the dense mist of smoke. At one point a portion of the Battalion being held up by a determined machine gun (sic), he crawled round through a sunken road alone and came on the machine gun crew of five from a flank, shooting them all with his own hand. In the last stages of the advance he took forward a party and captured a regimental headquarters with the regimental commander and his entire staff. He showed the greatest courage, determination and skill throughout’.

See also the newspaper accounts from the Stornoway Gazette; another mention on p. 116 of the book "Amiens: Dawn of Victory" by James L. McWilliams and R. James Steel (Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2001):

" …. At thirty yards the German reached for his pistol, but Mackie was faster, dropping him in his tracks. Mackie broke into a run and accompanied by the Lewis gunner captured the entire post and its survivors.

The 16th also took a quarry – not shown on the maps – that sheltered a regimental commander and his entire staff. Mainly responsible for this capture was the indomitable Alec MacLennan, two Lewis gunners, and a Mark V of the 4th Tank Battalion. … "