McClean (William N) LETTERS WRITTEN DURING THE WAR

27 letters – some with envelopes and 8 telegrams, each item filed in a separate plastic sleeve in a black folder. The letters cover the period January 30 1900 - May 10 1901.

They are written mainly to Lieut. McClean’s father Frank McClean – a British astronomer and Dr.Gill, Astronomer at the Royal Observatory in Cape Town.

Lieut William McClean was initially appointed as supernumerary Lieutenant of the Railway Pioneer Police without pay.

1900
27 February – letter written to his father aboard the Mexican sailing to Cape Town.
20 March – letter written to his father notifying him that he handed in his certificates from Sir John Wolfe Barry and Prof Ewing to Dr Gill.He was informed by The Military Secretary of his appointment as a supernumerary Lieutenant of the Railway Pioneer Police.
Letter written to his father Undated (beginning of April)Repaired the bridge at Norvals Pont then on to the Zand River where they were attacked by 850 boers.
18 August letter written to his father describes the fight
10 November letter to his father on a letterhead Johannesburg District Military Police; noting that there was no programme for disbandment. The boers are decidely bold. A copy of his details which appeared in the Monthly Army List of November 1900 are included where he is listed as Lieutenant with pay from June.
10 December 1900 – letter written by his father to Editor of the Army list complaining that his son’s name was omitted from the Army list. There is a detailed breakdown of his appointments and a reply from the War Office referring to his entry in the Monthly Army List where he was listed without his middle initial, which would be rectified.

1901
9 January a six page letter to his father detailing the skirmish with the Boers, which includes a hand drawn map of the event.
5 March letter to his father from Elandfontein hospital written in pencil, where he was a patient 8 March letter to his father written en route to Naauport
16 March – letter to Sir Gill from Captain Mitchell assuring him that Lieut. MacClean was being well looked after in hospital
10 May – letter to Sir David Gill written in pencil from Mooi River Hospital informing him that he would be going back to England on the Arcana.
A series of telegrams to his father concerning his improving health after being wounded.

William Newsam McClean MA, Ceng who was born on 7 June, 1874, died on 3 December, 1968. Educated at Rugby and Trinity College, Cambridge, he took a First in Mechanical Sciences in 1895 and the same year became a pupil of Sir John Wolfe Barry and Brunel. For two years he was on Sir John’s staff on the construction of Barry Docks, then until 1900 on Middlesbrough Dock extension. He served in the Boer War (1900-01) with a commission in the Railway Pioneer Regiment, afterwards returning to dock construction and spending four years at Avonmouth. For his detailed obituary see: https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/pdf/10.1680/iicep.1969.7419

The Railway Pioneer Regiment : About 18th December 1899 recruiting for this corps was opened at Cape Town; and before Lord Roberts commenced his advance from Bloemfontein to Pretoria the first regiment was organised, its work being to assist in protecting the railways and to repair bridges, culverts, and lines when broken. Without outside assistance the corps of Royal Engineers could not have faced the enormous amount of work naturally falling to their department. From the Railway Pioneer Regiment they received very valuable help. On the other hand, the Railway Pioneers were leavened by officers and non - commissioned officers of the Royal Engineers, who are always so efficient that they can infect all those who serve with them with esprit de corps in a marvellously short space of time. Of such value was the work of the Railway Pioneer Regiment that before the close of the war a fourth battalion had been organised. The battalions were employed chiefly on the Cape-Pretoria railway, but they were also on the Krugersdorp line, and sometimes operated as a fighting force a considerable distance from railways. The regiment also did admirable service on the armoured trains which did so much to make railway traffic possible during the guerilla stages.

Surname Forename/inits Regimental no Rank Notes McClean William 2306 Lance Corporal 4th RPR Source: Nominal roll in WO127

Extracted from: https://www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/south-african-units/459-railway-pioneer-regiment