Henry McLaren (d.1944)
Henry McLaren (c1883-1943)
1944 Obituary [1]
Colonel HENRY MCLAREN, D.S.O., M.C., T.D., was chairman and managing director of Messrs. J. and H. McLaren, Ltd., engineers, of Leeds, and had been associated with the firm since 1904, when he began to serve his apprenticeship, until his death, which occurred on 23rd April 1943 in his sixtieth year. He received his general education at Mill Hill School and his technical training at the Yorkshire College, Leeds University.
After a thorough course of training in all departments of the business he was appointed assistant to the works manager in 1908 and was employed on the erection of machinery in France and other foreign countries. From 1914 until 1919 he served overseas with distinction in the Royal Engineers, receiving rapid promotion to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. For his services he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, the Military Cross, and the Order of the Nile, 3rd Class, besides being mentioned four times in dispatches. On his return to the firm he joined the board of directors and in 1927 became joint managing director.
Colonel McLaren had a long record of service, dating from 1909, in the Territorial Army, in which he took a keen interest, and from 1933 to 1937 he commanded the 49th Divisional Signals, West Riding. In the present war he joined the Home Guard on its formation and at the time of his death he was commanding one of the battalions in the Leeds Sector. He was elected a Member of the Institution in 1928.