Source: Admitted to hospital according to War Diary December 1916.
Find-A-Grave (Recorded to have died on February 8, 1954. Grave unknown.)
Awarded Military Cross re. service record 3/6/18 LG 30716. page 6473.
The following letter was received by David McLean from Lt. Jas. McAmmond in regard to the burial of the late Lt. William McLean.
France, 1st May, 1917
Dear Mr. McLean:
I beg to inform you that I have had your son’s body raised and re-interred yesterday in the Ecoivres Military Cemetery. The following location will get any information you wish in future years: Plot #5, Row H. Grave 1, Ecoivres Military Cemetery, France. I also had a special funeral service for him by Rev. C.K. Whaltey(?) of the 3rd Division Canadian Artillery. As information I may say that he was killed on the morning of the 9th April. He I understand it was first reported he was only wounded and as it is impossible to leave your post during an advance I was unable to get much information until our unit was relieved. At the first possible opportunity I made inquiries and found that the burial party had already buried him in the field of battle and had him nicely fixed up. As soon as I got the location I went to our C.O. and got permission to have him re-interred in the Military Cemetery which I did yesterday, 30th April. I may say I can hardly tell you exactly how he met his death as I saw two slight wounds on him and our information says it was concussion which I am led to believe was the case. He looked quite natural and peaceful in death and I would not think he suffered any pain.
Sincerely,
J. McAmmond
Source : Perth Courier, May 25, 1917
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 