WITH U.S. TROOPS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 185, 5 August 1918, Page 9

WITH U.S. TROOPS.

DEVONPORT BOY'S CAREER.

In an American paper appears the photograph of a Devonport boy, who is now a corporal in the United States Army, namely, Kenneth McLean, son of Mr. and Mrs. Duncan VV. McLean, of Kerr Street, in the marine suburb. The eldest son, Corporal Murdoch McLeanj fe at the front. He left in December, 1914, with the Ist Howitzers, was ' wounded at GaUipoii, invalided in England eleven months, then in the Base Records, and afterwards passed an examination in magnetism, electricity and signalling, after which he went back to the front, and is now in France. The article referring to Corporal Kenneth McLean is headed "Determined to See the War Through." Wounded in battle, twice discharged, he tries again. Kenneth McLean's story shows the grit of the Devonport boy, who was educated at the State school there and then passed on to the Grammar School. Although only 17 years of age he got away with the 9th Reinforcements. He was woiuided at the Somme, September, 1916, and invalided to Auckland. After undergoing an operation, Kenneth McLean, who held the corporal's stripes in the New Zealand Forces, went over to the United States, having been dis-1 charged from service. His object was to learn engineering. Having been to the front, it was too much for him to | etav out of the war when the United j States joined the Allies, so he took out j citizenship papers, then enlisted, andj was sent to Camp Fremont, where he was made a corporal, and has been useful lecturing the recruits on trench j warfare. Corporal Kenneth McLean will j not have reached his *20th birthday until j the 30th of next month. When Major-Genera.l Badcn-Powel | visited Auckland, Kenneth McLean was , presented with the badge of the Silver j Wolf. When a la. of twelve he was i presented with the Royal Humane f Society's certificate for saving a lad of j 10 from, drowning off Devonport beach, 1