Albury, New South Wales, AustraliaDFM Citation: On one night in July 1942, 401243 Sergeant McLennan was the wireless operator of an aircraft detailed to attack Duisberg. When nearing the target area, the pilot was compelled to dive the aircraft violently, and Sergeant McLennan was thrown from his position in the astro-hatch. A box of incendiaries bombs broke loose from its stowage, and the contents were scattered in the rear of the aircraft. One of the bombs became ignited, setting a further one alight and filling the aircraft6 with sparks and smoke. With his bare hands Sergeant McLennan picked up one of the blazing bombs and endeavoured to throw it out through the escape hatch. He was unable to open the hatch but with great presence of mind, he pushed the burning bomb through the fabric of the fuselage. In spite of burns to his hands, he picked up the remaining bomb and disposed of it in a similar manner. By his prompt and courageous action, this airman averted an extremely serious situation
McLennan, Hugh Alexander (Pilot Officer)
Killed in Action 1943-February-19
Birth Date: 1916-July-06
Born: Temora, Temora Shire, New South Wales, Australia
Parents: Son of Hugh Richmond McLennan and Merzine Anne Pauline (nee Kahlefeldt) McLennan, of Albury, New South Wales, Australia
Spouse:
Home: Albury, New South Wales, Australia
Enlistment: Melbourne, Australia
Enlistment Date: 1941-January-05
Service
RAAF
Unit
156 (PFF) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
We Light The Way
Base
RAF Warboys
Rank
Pilot Officer
Position
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Service Numbers
401243
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Finadagrave.comCrew or Other Personnel
Lancaster ED485
Mission
Lancaster Mk.I/III ED485
Bombing Wilhelmshaven Germany 1943-February-19 to 1943-February-19
156 (PFF) Sqn (RAF) RAF Warboys
156 Squadron (We Light The Way), Pathfinder Force, RAF Warboys. Lancaster BII aircraft ED 485 was lost without a trace during an operation over the naval yards at Wlihelmshaven, Germany. The Lancaster may have been shot down by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Paul Gildner of the Stab IV/NJG-1, crashing into the North Sea, North of Vlieland, Friesland, Netherlands with the loss of the entire crew
Pilot Officer H W Welch (RCAF), Pilot Officer T E Case (RCAF), Pilot Officer P Y C Tremblay (RCAF), Pilot Officer E Cuthbert (RNZAF), Pilot Officer H A McLennan DFM (RAAF), Sergeant E P G Bayliss (RAFVR) and Sergeant J W Denby (RAFVR) were all missing, presumed killed in action
The missing have no known graves and all are commemorate d on the Runnymede Memorial
Several of the crew members of Lancaster ED 245 had been involved in the crash of 156 Squadron Wellington III aircraft X3811, which encountered icing conditions and was abandoned over England after a fire started
Flight Sergeant T E Case (RCAF) and Flight Sergeant H W Welch (RCAF) were slightly injured, Flight Sergeant P Y C Tremblay (RCAF), Sergeant H A McLennan (RAAF) and Sergeant E Cuthbert (RNZAF) survived, safe. However, the Wellington crashed into the village of Somersham, Huntingdon, England, where it destroyed several houses on High Street and killed 11 people on the ground: Pauline Margaret Cattanach, Vera Cattanach, Juliana Davies, Annie Maria Holdich, Alice Lamb, William Francis Lamb, Violet Ewing Moule, Eliza Nightingale, Elizabeth Richardson, Ena Joyce Stroud and Elsie May Taylor
Several of the crew members of Lancaster ED 245 had previously been involved in the crash of 156 Squadron Wellington III aircraft X3811, which encountered icing conditions and was abandoned over England
Flight Sergeant T E Case (RCAF) and Flight Sergeant H W Welch (RCAF) were slightly injured, Flight Sergeant P Y C Tremblay (RCAF), Sergeant H A McLennan (RAAF) and Sergeant E Cuthbert (RNZAF) survived, safe. However, the Wellington crashed into the village of Somersham, Huntingdon, England, where it destroyed several houses on High Street and killed 11 people on the ground: Pauline Margaret Cattanach, Vera Cattanach, Juliana Davies, Annie Maria Holdich, Alice Lamb, William Francis Lamb, Violet Ewing Moule, Eliza Nightingale, Elizabeth Richardson, Ena Joyce Stroud and Elsie May Taylor
Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database
Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Vlielandin: 7 killed I Bureau of...
Lancaster ED485 Mk.I/III - Bombing Wilhelmshaven Germany - 1943-02-19 to 1943-02-19
6 Group Unavailable
156 Squadron (We Light The Way), Pathfinder Force, RAF Warboys. Lancaster BII aircraft ED 485 was lost without a trace during an operation over the naval yards at Wlihelmshaven, Germany. The Lancaster may have been shot down by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Paul Gildner of the Stab IV/NJG-1, crashing into the North Sea, North of Vlieland, Friesland, Netherlands with the loss of the entire crew
Pilot Officer H W Welch (RCAF), Pilot Officer T E Case (RCAF), Pilot Officer P Y C Tremblay (RCAF), Pilot Officer E Cuthbert (RNZAF), Pilot Officer H A McLennan DFM (RAAF), Sergeant E P G Bayliss (RAFVR) and Sergeant J W Denby (RAFVR) were all missing, presumed killed in action
The missing have no known graves and all are commemorate d on the Runnymede Memorial
Several of the crew members of Lancaster ED 245 had been involved in the crash of 156 Squadron Wellington III aircraft X3811, which encountered icing conditions and was abandoned over England after a fire started
Flight Sergeant T E Case (RCAF) and Flight Sergeant H W Welch (RCAF) were slightly injured, Flight Sergeant P Y C Tremblay (RCAF), Sergeant H A McLennan (RAAF) and Sergeant E Cuthbert (RNZAF) survived, safe. However, the Wellington crashed into the village of Somersham, Huntingdon, England, where it destroyed several houses on High Street and killed 11 people on the ground: Pauline Margaret Cattanach, Vera Cattanach, Juliana Davies, Annie Maria Holdich, Alice Lamb, William Francis Lamb, Violet Ewing Moule, Eliza Nightingale, Elizabeth Richardson, Ena Joyce Stroud and Elsie May Taylor
Several of the crew members of Lancaster ED 245 had previously been involved in the crash of 156 Squadron Wellington III aircraft X3811, which encountered icing conditions and was abandoned over England
Flight Sergeant T E Case (RCAF) and Flight Sergeant H W Welch (RCAF) were slightly injured, Flight Sergeant P Y C Tremblay (RCAF), Sergeant H A McLennan (RAAF) and Sergeant E Cuthbert (RNZAF) survived, safe. However, the Wellington crashed into the village of Somersham, Huntingdon, England, where it destroyed several houses on High Street and killed 11 people on the ground: Pauline Margaret Cattanach, Vera Cattanach, Juliana Davies, Annie Maria Holdich, Alice Lamb, William Francis Lamb, Violet Ewing Moule, Eliza Nightingale, Elizabeth Richardson, Ena Joyce Stroud and Elsie May Taylor
Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database
Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Vlielandin: 7 killed I Bureau of...