Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Akarondedzerwa nomunyori wenhau dzakaitika Alan Stephens so"ane hasha asi anokwanisa", McLachlan akatungamirira No. 3 Squadron muHondo yeSidi Barrani muna December 1940, yakateverwa ne
Hondo yeBardia uye kubatwa kweTobruk muna Ndira 1941. Asati atendeukira kuHawker Hurricanes mwedzi iwoyo, chikwata chakanzi chakaparadza ndege gumi nembiri dzeItaly nekurasikirwa neGladiator shanu nevatyairi vaviri; McLachlan akapfura pasi Fiat CR.42 musi wa10 Zvita 1940, chiito chimwe chete icho nhengo yechikwata uye ramangwana ace Gordon Steege akataura "kuuraya" kwake kwekutanga. Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Middle East, Air Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore, akarumbidza McLachlan nechikwata chake nokuda kwe"mudzimu wavo wakakwirira uye kukwanisa kuchinja mumamiriro ezvinhu erenje".