BROTHERS-IN-ARMS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2922, 7 November 1916, Page 6

BROTHERS-IN-ARMS

REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE OF MR. DONALD M'LEAN'S TWO SONS. Mr. Donald M'Lean, the well-known Wellington contractor, has two sons at the front. They both left with the Fifth Reinforcement and served without being wounded in Gallipoli. Together they went to Trance, and after being in action several times, both were wounded tho same day (both shot in tho loft breast), both found shelter in the samo clearing station, wero placed alongside one another at tho hospital in Rouen, and at present are together at the Bockenhurst Military Hospital in England. When it is known how extremely difficult it is for men to keep track of ono another at tho front, tho experience of Sergeant James A. M'Loan and Gunner Alex. M'Lean will bo regarded as perhaps something a little more than unique.

The following letter from Sergt. J. A. M'Lean reached his father on Saturday :— "It was Saturday, September 16, at 9.30 a.m., that my section 'went over.' Wo had tho hot corner to fix up. Lieut. Kibblewhito camo to see me the night before, and asked mo which section was tho best, aud 1_ said my section (machine-gun) was easily. Then he wanted to know if thero wore any married men in it. I told him 'No.' 'Right-ho 1!' ho said. 'I'll take you and your section with me. and we'll take a strong place.' So that was how wo fixed it, and I never want a better halfdozen men, either. Four of us wero old hands, but two of them were under firo of that kind for tho first timo, and they behaved grand. "A few minutes before it was time for us to go over, Fritz put in a very strong attack on us, and we had an ideal target for a machine-gun. Fritz's attack collapsed like a bubble. This warmed us up beautifully for going over ourselves, and we did so in a few minutes. Fritz's attack did not alter our time the loast bit. We were about 200 yards over when Alex, went down. 'I went over to him to see how badly he was hit. but I had not much time to step. I only made sure he was not killed, and then wont on after tho others, leaving him in charge of a chap ■going back with a wounded hand. I caught up with the others, and we had a. rest in a shell hole, and then on again. Then I stopped-mine. Kibblewhite was killed half a minute after I was hit. It is a very queer sensation, I can tell you., How r ever, I managed to „ cover the 600 yards back to our trenches on my hands and' knees most of the way. in about an hour or so, resting in shell holes every now and again. Then I got it bound up. Both of us were hit in the left chest, mine a little bit higher up than Alex.'s.

"I. had no idea oF where" Alex, had gone, so I went back to a clearing station, and had to stay there all that afternoon and night, as stretchers could not be .procured/until morning. In the morning I was carted back to another clearing station, and then put on an ambulance and taken to a depot., I had been about three hours there when a chap came up to me (wo were all lying in the open in rows) and said: 'Is your name M'Lcnn ?.' I told him it was, and he.said he had just left Alex.,-so I hustled a'couple of bearers away to get him, and iir a few minutes ho was plumped down beside me. If that wasn't jnst about the limit for luck, I don't, know what is! Wo have been objects of interest to everybody since—doctors, sisters, and all. But it really was a remarkable thing, and both of us to get it in the left chestl If our wounds hao> been in different places, and one' more serious than the other, we could not have hoped to remain together, but_ as it is we ought to see the/whole thing through together. "When wo got off the hospital train at tho Rouen station one of the doctors saw that we were placed in the same ambulance car, and told us to tell the colonel here that we are brothers. Alex, did so, and hero wo are in bed along6ido one another. This is our fourth day in this hospital, and we are feeling much easier already. Wo will be hero for ten days or so, and then wo will he shipped to 'Blighty.' "This ward is entirely controlled by Scotch folk. Tho superintendent is a Dr. Campbell, and the matron Sister M'Lennan, both awfully nice. We could not bo in hotter hands. Then tho Presbyterian chaplain's name is (Rev. W. M.) Paterson. He knows the Hon. J. G. W. Aitkeii very well, and his sister is Dr. Porter's wife. You must have met her -when thev were staying: with Mr. Aitkon in Wellington."

Since the above letter was written Mr. Donald M'Lean lias received word from his sons that they arc both together at Brockenlrurst.