Distinguished Conduct Medal : Corporal Horton Ford McLachlan, 2/15 Battalion

Distinguished Conduct Medal (Geo VI). Impressed edge with recipient's details.

Horton Ford McLachlan, a horse-breaker from the northern New South Wales town of Boggabilla, enlisted in the Second AIF at Toowoomba, Queensland on 24 May 1940. Posted to the 2/15th Battalion, service number QX5634, he was promoted lance corporal on 27 July. The battalion embarked on 26 December 1940, arriving in the Middle East in early February 1941. In April the battalion participated in the hasty withdrawal of British Forces to Tobruk in the face of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps. More than 150 men from the battalion were taken prisoner during the retreat to Tobruk. In mid-April McLachlan was promoted to corporal.

On 1 September 1942, the battalion spearheaded Operation 'Bulimba', in an attempt to seize and hold an enemy position near Tel el Eisa, north west of El Alamein. The operation supported the main battle of Alam el Halfa against Rommel’s forces. Launched at 5:35 am, McLachlan’s 'D' Company, at the left front position, reached the objective quickly. But by 8:30 the company reported its casualties as 'not less than 50 per cent', and were running low on ammunition. 'D' Company’s position was being targeted by heavy machine gun and artillery fire. Their requested mortar support was blown up before it could be deployed. The other companies in the battalion were faring no better.

During this period McLachlan’s section was ordered forward to clear an enemy machine gun post firing on his platoon. Once cleared they continued further forward, clearing other well defended enemy positions. The section suffered casualties until only McLachlan and two others remained, and the fighting descended into desperate close combat. McLachlan, now out of ammunition, was using his rifle as a club. Casualties were mounting across the battalion to enemy artillery.

Despite the ground won, it was clear that it could not be held against an expected counter attack. At 8:45 the order to withdraw was given in the order 'B', 'A', 'C', then lastly ‘D' companies. Meanwhile, McLachlan and others jumped into a trench atop German dead as enemy artillery and machine gun fire increased dramatically. The trench also held Germans who were just as afraid to raise their heads above the parapet. At times the men were buried up to their shoulders in sand. Finally the Australians made a break for their own lines in ones and twos through fire that had not diminished. The company was forced to leave three badly wounded men behind. McLachlan survived but described the final ordeal as 'three hours of hell'.

The battalion had suffered 190 killed, wounded, or missing. It was estimated that at least 150 enemy lay dead on the battlefield. The battle of Alam el Halfa ended on 5 September with a victory to the Allies, and exhausted much of Rommel’s offensive capacity. For his actions at Tel el Eisa, McLachlan was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM). The recommendation for the award reads:

'During an attack carried out by 2/15 Aust Inf Bn on enemy positions at West Point 23 near Tel el Eisa on 1 September 1942, Corporal McLachlan showed great courage, dash, and leadership.

McLachlan, who was in command of the rear section of his platoon, was ordered to attack an enemy post which was firing at his platoon from the right. Leading his section into the attack he bayoneted three enemy and subdued the post. He then took a Thompson sub machine gun from a wounded man in his section and led a further attack, in the face of Spandau fire, on another post 100 yards ahead which was enfilading his company. With his section he cleared out this position, himself killing the enemy machine gunner and three others with his Thompson sub machine gun.

Moving forward with the only two of his men left, McLachlan, assisted by covering fire from the right, assaulted another enemy post 200 yards ahead, throwing two grenades, which killed four enemy. Having by this time exhausted all his ammunition, he threatened four enemy (the crew of a Spandau) with his Thompson sub machine gun used as a club. One of these men seized McLachlan by the leg, but McLachlan got free by kicking him in the face, at the same time calling on one of his section to throw a grenade into the pit, which disposed of the four men in it.

The determination and fighting spirit of this NCO were largely responsible for enabling his company to get on to its objective.'

McLachlan’s DCM was approved by Commander-in-Chief of Middle East Forces General Sir Harold Alexander as an immediate award. The recommendation was supported by the Australian 20th Infantry Brigade commander Brigadier W J V Windeyer, Australian 9th Division commander Lieutenant General Leslie Morshead, and General Officer Commanding the British Eighth Army Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery.

On 29 October, in an attack north of El Whishka during the Second Battle of El Alamein, McLachlan was seriously wounded in the left forearm and evacuated. He was made acting sergeant just prior to the attack - the rank made substantive on the 30th.

The wounding, and a lingering pre-war injury to his left heel ended McLachlan’s overseas service. He returned to Australia in April 1943 and served with the 1st Auxilliary Horse Transport Company in Queensland and later with the 6th Advance Workshop, Australian electrical and Mechanical Engineers. He was medically discharged in May 1945.

War artist Ivor Hele captured McLachlan’s actions at Tel el Eisa in his painting "Operation Bulimba (2/15th Battalion attack near Tel el Eisa, Egypt), September 1942". The artwork (ref. ART27559) is held in the Australian War Memorial’s National Collection.