McLENNAN, Angus Russell (1897-1959)
McLENNAN, Angus Russell (1897-1959)
Angus McLennan was born at Rupanyup, Victoria, on 29 August 1897, the son of Duncan McLennan and Willamina Catherine, nee McDonald. He attended Ashby State School, Geelong and was later enrolled at Geelong College in February 1912, leaving in December 1916. His address at entry was High Street, Geelong West. At College he was a member of the 1st Football XVIII in 1913, 1914, 1915 and its Captain in 1916. He also was a member of the 1st Cricket XI in 1916 and the Athletics Teams of 1914 and 1916.
'Gus' McLennan was a VFL footballer with the Geelong Football Club playing 1 game in 1917.
He served in The University of Melbourne Rifles before enlisting (No 35049) during World War I in the 7th Field Artillery Brigade, AIF on 14 February 1917, embarking on HMAT A15 Port Sydney on 9 November 1917.
He wrote to his father during the war and extracts of this letter were quoted in the Geelong Advertiser in 1918:
'I just recently got a batch of twenty-two letters and three parcels. Have been working hard lately. Last Sunday night started unloading shells at 10.30, and worked on till 5 am. Guns and tanks are here in abundance. The stunt opened on Thursday, at 4.20 am, and the roar of the guns almost shook our billet to pieces. Some of our wounded came in at 8 am, and shortly afterwards prisoners began to come in by two roads. One lot were big men over 6 ft. in height, while the others appeared to be mere boys about 18. They seemed pleased and quite contented. I met R Blake and Bob Hodges (Old Collegians) the other day. We have shifted to a deserted village wrecked by German shells. Fritz has a habit of dropping shells here, and it is not too pleasant to hear him overhead. We got a sudden start the other day when digging a ‘funk hole’ for the sentry. A shell landed about twenty yards from us, I guess we were flat on the ground in a quarter of a second, and fortunately none of us suffered any harm. No more shells came along, and so we were able to finish the job. I had surprise visits from Cecil Thomas (Gunner Cecil Rhys Trevor Thomas, born 3 February 1897, the son of J Thomas, of West Geelong, an Old Geelong Grammarian, who embarked with McLennan on the Port Sydney in November 1917) and Ralph Dickins (Cpl Ralph Oswald Reg Dickins, the son of CW Dickins, of Geelong, who embarked on 10 May 1915 with 22 Battalion on 'HMAT A38 Ulysses'). I think there is going to be a big push shortly. The weather lately has been fine. I am keeping quite well, and on the whole things are not too bad.'
He returned to Australia on HMT Plessy embarking on 5 September 1919.
Angus McLennan was born at Rupanyup, Victoria, on 29 August 1897, the son of Duncan McLennan and Willamina Catherine, nee McDonald. He attended Ashby State School, Geelong and was later enrolled at Geelong College in February 1912, leaving in December 1916. His address at entry was High Street, Geelong West. At College he was a member of the 1st Football XVIII in 1913, 1914, 1915 and its Captain in 1916. He also was a member of the 1st Cricket XI in 1916 and the Athletics Teams of 1914 and 1916.
'Gus' McLennan was a VFL footballer with the Geelong Football Club playing 1 game in 1917.
He served in The University of Melbourne Rifles before enlisting (No 35049) during World War I in the 7th Field Artillery Brigade, AIF on 14 February 1917, embarking on HMAT A15 Port Sydney on 9 November 1917.
He wrote to his father during the war and extracts of this letter were quoted in the Geelong Advertiser in 1918:
'I just recently got a batch of twenty-two letters and three parcels. Have been working hard lately. Last Sunday night started unloading shells at 10.30, and worked on till 5 am. Guns and tanks are here in abundance. The stunt opened on Thursday, at 4.20 am, and the roar of the guns almost shook our billet to pieces. Some of our wounded came in at 8 am, and shortly afterwards prisoners began to come in by two roads. One lot were big men over 6 ft. in height, while the others appeared to be mere boys about 18. They seemed pleased and quite contented. I met R Blake and Bob Hodges (Old Collegians) the other day. We have shifted to a deserted village wrecked by German shells. Fritz has a habit of dropping shells here, and it is not too pleasant to hear him overhead. We got a sudden start the other day when digging a ‘funk hole’ for the sentry. A shell landed about twenty yards from us, I guess we were flat on the ground in a quarter of a second, and fortunately none of us suffered any harm. No more shells came along, and so we were able to finish the job. I had surprise visits from Cecil Thomas (Gunner Cecil Rhys Trevor Thomas, born 3 February 1897, the son of J Thomas, of West Geelong, an Old Geelong Grammarian, who embarked with McLennan on the Port Sydney in November 1917) and Ralph Dickins (Cpl Ralph Oswald Reg Dickins, the son of CW Dickins, of Geelong, who embarked on 10 May 1915 with 22 Battalion on 'HMAT A38 Ulysses'). I think there is going to be a big push shortly. The weather lately has been fine. I am keeping quite well, and on the whole things are not too bad.'
He returned to Australia on HMT Plessy embarking on 5 September 1919.
Source
Based on an edited extract from Geelong Collegians at the Great War compiled by James Affleck. p 257-58 (citing The Pegasus; National Archives).