McLennan, William

Born: 12th August, 1907 – Healsville, Victoria.
Died: 1st July, 1942 – Montevideo Maru. Age 24.
Occupation – 1942: A.I.F 2/22nd Battalion, C Company
Occupation – Pre War: Orchardist, Stanhope Victoria
ID: VX23813

William “Bill” McLennan’s Story

Son of Alexander and Mary McLennan of Stanhope, Victoria.

Middle child of three, Sarah (Sadie), William (Bill) and Keith (Sandy).

Bill McLennan was born in Healsville, Victoria, the second of Alex and Mary’s three children. Bill grew up on the family farm, near Stanhope and stayed in the area, where he worked as an orchardist.

He was a keen sportsman, playing football for Stanhope. Before Bill joined the 2/22nd Battalion, he was the team’s captain.

One of the few stories told about Bill is how he broke his ribs during a preliminary final match, and rested for the week, while his wife worked in the orchard, only to pull the boots on to play in the grand final.

Bill met his wife, an English girl who moved to Stanhope to teach, while playing tennis.
Bill and Phyllis Mavin were married on June 22nd, 1936.

The date later turned out to be significant for another reason.

The Rabaul prisoners of war are said to have boarded the Montevideo Maru June 22nd, 1942, Bill and Phyllis’ sixth wedding anniversary.

Bill and Phyllis had two children, Mary Fay (Fay) and Phyllis Joy (Joy). Fay was only two and Phyllis was four months pregnant with their second child when Bill joined up.

Joy was born after the 2/22nd arrived in Bonegilla.

Phyllis stayed in Stanhope until 1942. After learning Bill was a prisoner of war, she moved to Brighton to care for her sick parents.

Phyllis was one of only 400 families to receive the prisoner of war letters from Rabaul. The Japanese dropped the letters over Port Morseby, but most were lost in the jungle.

Bill and the other men listed as being on the Montevideo Maru, were already dead when the letter dated April 1942, arrived in Melbourne in late July.

Like other families, Phyllis and the girls waited for news, hoping that Bill would be amongst the prisoners returning to Australia after the war ended.

He wasn’t.

Like many other families, Phyllis discovered Bill was listed as dead well before the official telegrams arrived. While reading The Argus newspaper on a train Phyllis read Bill’s name amongst the long list of those missing, thought to be dead. Joy was asleep on her lap and Fay sat beside her. An official telegram notifying Phyllis that Bill was a prisoner of war arrived weeks later, followed another week later by a telegram declaring Bill to be missing, presumed to be dead.

Like many of the surviving families, the pain was so great for Phyllis she didn’t talk about Bill. When Phyllis died, so too did Bill’s stories.

Most of the letters from Bill have been lost, and it is only recently that photos of him in Rabaul have surfaced. A truly special gift. The photos have helped the family build a picture of Bill McLennan.

Phyllis, a remarkable woman who taught English at Halibury College after the war until she retired in the 70’s, died in 1987.

Finding Darcy by Sue Lawson

Bill and Phyllis’ granddaughter, Sue Lawson, has written a young adult book, Finding Darcy, about this little known World War II incident on a teenage girl.

Finding Darcy has been well received by critics and readers alike.

Story provided by Sue Lawson