MacLEAN, Birtin James

DIVISIONAL UNIT:         4th Canadian Infantry Division
                                             10th Infantry Brigade
                                             47th Battalion - West Ontario
                                             “C” Company
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   654740
RESIDENCE:                    Goderich – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            December 2, 1892
                                             Goderich – Goderich Township – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           September 26, 1918             25 years     9 months
CEMETERY:                     Queant Communal British Cemetery –Queant –
                                             Pas de Calais – France
                                                 B     29
PARENT:                           Mr. Alex MacLean – Goderich – Ontario
Occupation:                        Sailor                                    Religion:    Presbyterian
Enlistment:                         Goderich – April 8, 1916 – 161st Huron Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 23 years     4 months

The 161st arrived in England on November 11, 1916 on the S.S. Lapland.
At the end of February 1917, he proceeds overseas to France and joins his unit in mid August.
Sergeant Maclean was on reconnaissance duty near Inchy-an-Artois preparing for an upcoming attack on the Marquion Line when he was killed by an enemy artillery shell. His unit was located in the trenches south west of Inchy-en-Artois.
During the night of Sept. 25/26th, “C” Company took casualties from enemy shelling.
In the afternoon “C” Company lost two platoon Sergeants.
At 7:15 pm heavy enemy shelling came down causing a number of casualties.
The casualties during the day were 4 killed and 10 wounded.
During the day, the Brigade’s heavy artillery had been pounding the enemy wire and it was reported that there had been lanes blasted for the infantry.