Draft:Piper L/CPL James Mclean

Piper James McLeans history tells of his prominent role in our nations history. And the history of the Argylls and Sutherland Highlanders. James McLean was born on 28th June 1915, in Glasgow, he enlisted into the Army in January 1934. He did his basic training in Stirling, with his first posting was to Karachi, Pakistan in June 1935 during his 3 years there he was awarded the 1936 Indian General Service medal and the 36/37 Northwest Frontier Clasp. In August 1939, the 2nd Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were deployed to Malaya under the Command of Lieutenant Colonel Ian Stewart. The Battalion, known as the Jungle Beasts, were part of 12th Infantry Brigade. It was during this time that the Japanese had joined WW2 and invaded the Malay Peninsula, in 1941. Throughout late January 1942, the Commonwealth forces conducted a tactical withdrawal into Singapore. On the night of January 31stand the morning of February 1st 1942, 30,000 British and Commonwealth troops were withdrawn across the Johore Causeway to Singapore Island, without casualties or fatalities. At 7:30am on 1 February 1942, two pipers, Piper James McLean and Piper Charles 'Boy' Stewart demonstrated the valiant calmness and stoic courage of the Argylls and Sutherland Highlanders, as both pipers escorted the 21/26th Australian Battalion, followed by the 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders across the Causeway. The final crossing was Piper James McLean and Charles 'Boy Stewart and leading the 2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders crossing of the Johore - Singapore Causeway piping 'A Hundred Pipers' and 'Hielan Laddie' the regimental march. Lt Col Stewart was the last to cross the Causeway initiating a detonation resulting in 20 yard gap at 8:15am, he stated history would tell of the Argylls being the last Battalion over the Causeway and as history was made Piper James McLean played a pivotal role. On 15th February 1942, more than 75,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers became Japanese Prisoners of War (POW). Piper James McLean was amongst them. Piper McLean was in Changi POW Camp until 1st October 1942 then he was transported to Thailand. Were as a POW he worked on the Burma Railway, commonly known as the Death Railway. He endured the labour on the for almost 2 years whilst comrades died around him. Upon the completion of the Railway, in October 1943, many of the POWs were returned to Changai prison. The Japanese decided the POWs were to be used in the Japanese coal mines as slave labourers. Transport consisted of excessively overcrowded and squalid ships, deemed the Hell Ships Piper McLean was initially transported on the (Hofuka Maru) On July 4th1944. He was initially transported on one of the 10 Hell Ships sailing from Singapore to Japan. Whilst the ships convoy was under sail, they were attacked by US and Allied forces, all 10 ships were sunk with the loss of 997 POWs Piper James McLean survived. Alongside other survivors, James was taken to Cabanatuan Camp, Philippines still a POW under the Japanese. He was boarded on the Oryoko Maru on On 13th October 1944 Piper Mclean was boarded on another Japanese ship bound for Japan. However, just two days later the US Navy conducted another attack and the Oryoko Maru ship was sunk, more POW’s were killed, others swam to shore. Piper James McLean survived. He was then loaded onto the Brazil Maru on the 27th December for the journey to Japan via Takao, Formosa. The ship arrived in Taiwan. On 27th December 1944 Piper McLean, and the few remaining British further POWs remaining were escorted on the Enoura Maru stationed in the Phillipines, where on January 9th 1945, US forces deployed an attack on the Japanese ships. The Enoura sustained significant damage in the Taiwan harbour and further POWs died in the attack. Piper James McLean narrowly survived upon being removed from the Enoura Maru and sent to Heidi Camp. His name is now engraved on the Taiwan POW Memorial Wall. Shortly thereafter he was Placed on a smaller convoy the Melbourne Maru, and Piper McLean arrived in Moji, Japan on 29th January 1945. Piper James McLean arrived at Fukuoka 17B on February 11th. Fukuoka known as the ‘Nightmare POW Camp’, the prisoners were coerced to work in the Mitsui coal mines. The treatment of the POWS was as harsh as ever with living conditions similar to those experienced in the hell ships, the men endured a stark contrast from the previous tropical climate to harsh wintery elements, severe restriction of bland and non-nutritional food, diseases, torture techniques, sleeping on hard surfaces for only limited periods of time, due to long and laborious work within the mines, miles of walking to and from the mines, the excessive enforcement of the strict rules and consistent air bombings raids, all of which undoubtedly contributed their state of anxiety and ailing physical health. Some succumbed to malnutrition, others the lack of medical treatment. Piper James McLean survived. On September 15th 1945, Piper James McLean of the 2nd Battalion of the Argylls and Sutherland Highlanders was liberated On 15th September 1945, 3 years and 7 months to the day as a POW, Piper James McLean of the 2nd Battalion of the Argylls and Sutherland Highlanders was liberated. On the 27h September 1945, Piper McLean and other liberated POW’s embarked on their journey home, sailing via Manila they arrived in San Francisco on October 15th to receive necessary medical treatment and to begin the process of refeeding in order to combat the severe malnutrition. Piper James McLean ﬁnally returned home on January 4th 1946. On his return to the UK Piper James McLean met Mary McCuaig Durnan, they were married on 28th June 1946. The following summer they welcomed their daughter Mary McCuaig McLean. You cannot image the contrast from being a POW and now the joy of a wife and baby. Piper James McLean remained in the military with the 51st Highland Division, where he served with the 7th Battalion The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Territorial Army in Stirling until 1960.