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Auction: 23111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 825

Three: Captain A. McLean, Merchant Navy, the Master of the S.S. Kellwyn who went down with his ship when she was torpedoed by U-79, being killed in action on 27 July 1941

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, sold with a named and addressed O.H.M.S. box of issue, named condolence slip and an archive of contemporary material, nearly extremely fine (3)

Alexander McLean was born at 60 Llangyfelach Road, Swansea on 19 January 1885, the son of Elizabeth and Daniel McLean. With his father a shipwright it was almost inevitable that the younger McLean would work with ships and as it happened he joined the Merchant Navy.

He served in a variety of roles from 26 October 1900 making runs to such far flung places as Aden and Java; within a few years he had risen to the rank of Second Mate. Confirmed as competent to serve as Ship's Master on 23 January 1911 it wasn't until the outbreak of the Great War that he performed the role on the run between London and Mudros aboard the Reliance from 5 August 1915. McLean's only other run during the Great War was as Chief Officer of the Burma between August and November 1916 on 'Admiralty Service'.

Continuing to serve between the wars McLean was still at sea on the outbreak of the Second World War. Later acting as Master of the Kellwyn on 27 July 1941 on a run between the Tyne and Lisbon, transporting coal. Unfortunately the convoy was located and German Intelligence direct eight U-boats to intercept it. A total of seven ships from the convoy were destroyed in the attack with Kellwyn falling victim to U-79 captained by Wolfgang Kaufmann. Of Kellwyn's crew nine were picked up by the armed trawler St. Nectan but McLean was not amongst them having gone down with his ship alongside fourteen others. U-79 herself was sunk not long after this attack on 23 December 1941 by the destroyers Hasty and Hotspur, none of her crew survived. McLean is remembered upon the Tower Hill Memorial, London sold together with copied research comprising a printed summary of the Kellwyn, Commonwealth War Graves certificate and an auction listing along with a comprehensive archive of original material comprising:

i)
Two continuous certificates of discharge.

ii)
Three photographs of the recipient and his family.

iii)
National Registration Identity Card.

iv)
St. John's Ambulance Association certificate of education, in St. John's Ambulance envelope.

v)
Birth and Marriage certificates.

vi
Certificate of competence to serve as Master.

vii)
Registration Card.

viii)
Six references both typed and hand written relating to the recipient's service.

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Sold for
£120

Starting price
£80