William Lewis Callinan (abt. 1892 - 1916)

Born about 1892 in Yarrawonga, Colony of Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Died 5 Aug 1916 at about age 24 in France

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Biography

William Lewis Callinan was born in 1892 in the Colony of Victoria, Australia. He was the son of Thomas Callinan and Jane Godber.^[1]

On 10 August 1915 at the Swan Reach Hall an event was held to farewell William Lewis Callinan who was leaving for the front with the Australian Medical Corps. It was identified that Private W.L. Callinan was the first volunteer from Swan Reach.^[2]

Military records held by the National Archive of Australia and scanned for public viewing^[3] indicate that William enlisted on 19 May 1915 and that he was killed in action in France on 5 August 1916 whilst serving in the 6th Field Ambulance, Australian Army Medical Corp.

The Australian War Memorial has online documents relating to William. The embarkation roll shows William left Australia on the HMAS Nester on 11 October 1915.

The Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Files detail statements by Williams fellow soldiers who were present when he was killed. Their statements indicate that he was killed by a shell fragment that hit him in the head whilst he was recovering wounded soldiers from the support trenches whilst an attack was underway during the battle of Pozieres. His fellow soldiers indicate the injury received by William was catastrophic and he was killed instantly.

It is recorded that William was buried on the spot in the support trenches and that his grave was marked with a cross and his details.^[4]

The Commonwealth War Graves indicates that William was interned from his battlefield burial site and reburied at Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers- La Boisselle.^[5]

Wikipedia entry on The Battle of Pozieres

Research Notes

William kept a diary a copy of which is lodged with the State Library of Victoria.^[6] Contents are described as "Diary, letter and portrait photograph. The diary, 11 Oct. 1915-26 July 1916, was written while en route to Europe, on active service in France and Belgium, and on leave in Britain. The letter, 13 Aug. 1916, was from Callinan's friends to his parents in Australia giving details of his death and burial."

Sources

1. ↑ Victorian Government, Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria, Search historical indexes, https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/search-your-family-history, Registration Number 18795/1892
2. ↑ National Library of Australia, TROVE, Historical Newspapers Online, 1915 'DISTRICT NEWS.', Bairnsdale Advertiser and Tambo and Omeo Chronicle (Vic. : 1882 - 1918), 11 August, p. 3. (MORNING.), viewed 04 Aug 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74171168
3. ↑ National Archives of Australia, Name Search, https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/NameSearch.aspx,

   B2455, CALLINAN W L

   Callinan William Lewis

   Service Number 6313

   Place of Birth Yarrawonga VIC

   Place of Enlistment Bairnsdale VIC

   NOK Callinan Isabella

4. ↑ Australian War Memorial, Search for a person, https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search/people,

   AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS WOUNDED AND MISSING FILES

   William Lewis Callinan

   Service number 6313

   Rank Private

   Unit 6th Australian Field Ambulance

   Conflict/Operation First World War, 1914-1918

5. ↑ Commonwealth War Graves, Find War Dead, https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/

   Name and Rank PRIVATE WILLIAM LEWIS CALLINAN

   Service Number: 6313

   Regiment & Unit/Ship Australian Army Medical Corps 6th Field Amb.

   Date of Death Died 05 August 1916

   Age 23 years old

   Buried or commemorated at POZIERES BRITISH CEMETERY, OVILLERS-LA BOISSELLE IV. L. 29. France

   Country of Service Australian

   Additional Info - Son of Thomas Callinan, of "Glen Stewart", Garfield, Victoria, Australia, and the late Jane Callinan. Native of Gippsland, Victoria, Australia.

6. ↑ State Library of Victoria, Search Catalogue, https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/, MS BOX 1285/6, Callinan, W., 1915. Papers, 1915-1916. [manuscript].