CALDWELL, Albert Victor
| Service Numbers: | 156, 5307 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 22nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Woodstock , date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | White Hills, Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Kyabram , 4 March 1973, cause of death not yet discovered, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Kyabram Civil Cemetery, Victoria |
| Memorials: | Bendigo Great War Roll of Honor, Bendigo St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church Honor Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 28 May 1915: | Involvement Private, 156, 13th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Persic embarkation_ship_number: A34 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 May 1915: | Embarked Private, 156, 13th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Persic, Melbourne | |
| 28 Jul 1916: | Embarked Private, 5307, 22nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Melbourne | |
| 28 Jul 1916: | Involvement Private, 5307, 22nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Aug 1918: | Honoured Military Medal, The Battle of Amiens, 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During the operations on the 8th August he did splendid work, capturing a machine gun and two prisoners single-handed. On the 11th August 1918, during the attack on FRAMERVILLE near AMIENS he advanced with a Vickers Gun. Shortly after zero he received a large flesh wound. He continued carrying the gun, leading his men cheerfully forward, dug in on the objective and then fainted with exhaustion and loss of blood. Even then he did not wish to leave, but he was made to by his officer. Under heavy fire he was courageous and went forward with determination'. Signed C.R Rosenthal Major General Commanding Second Australian Division MM Medal Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No 61 Date: 23 May 1919 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Jack Coyne
Albert Victor CALDWELL
Military Medal
'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During the operations on the 8th August he did splendid work, capturing a machine gun and two prisoners single-handed. On the 11th August 1918, during the attack on FRAMERVILLE near AMIENS he advanced with a Vickers Gun. Shortly after zero he received a large flesh wound. He continued carrying the gun, leading his men cheerfully forward, dug in on the objective and then fainted with exhaustion and loss of blood. Even then he did not wish to leave, but he was made to by his officer. Under heavy fire he was courageous and went forward with determination.'
Signed C.R Rosenthal, Major General Commanding Second Australian Division
Albert Caldwell was born at Woodstock a rural community west of Bendigo. His enlistment on January 26, 1915 came just 10 days after his elder brother Arthur had enlisted (seen together in photo). Albert was 21 years of age and the seventh and youngest son of John Thomas Caldwell and Agnes Amy Caldwell of Murphy Street, White Hills. They lived close to the Bendigo Racecourse which became the AIF training camp in 1916. Another older brother Walter enlisted a year later and would return from the war as did Albert, however, Arthur Caldwell would be killed in March 1917 at the battle of Bapaume in Northern France. [1]
Being from farming stock, the Caldwell Brothers were placed in the 13th Light Horse regiment. After training at Broadmeadows the Light Horse (LH) unit embarked on HMAT Persic from Port Melbourne on May 28, 1915. The Persic disembarked in Alexandria, Egypt where Albert underwent further weeks of training. The light horse were initially considered unsuitable for the Gallipoli operation, but were soon deployed without their horses to reinforce the infantry at Gallipoli from September till the evacuation in late December, 1915.
Albert’s military career is curtailed as he is hospitalised in Egypt with Appendicitis and his parents are advised he is ‘dangerously ill’ on July, 1915. He would miss the 13th Light Horse landing on Gallipoli and he returned to Australia along with other casualties of the Gallipoli campaign on HMAT Euripides by October 1, 1915.
Albert recovered and returned to duty in January 1916. He would go back into training with the 21st Infantry Battalion and make the long voyage to England, then to France by mid November. Albert is transferred to the 6th Machine Gun Company and promoted to Lance Corporal in March 1917. He is wounded initially in May 1917 with Gun Shot Wound to thigh and shoulder and shipped back to Birmingham, England for treatment. He returns to the front and is hospitalised on a number of occasions with complications with thee original wounds.
Albert was recommended for the Distinguish Conduct Medal on August 8, 1918 at the Battle of Amiens.
SERVICE DETAILS:
Service Number: 156 / 5307
Born: Woodstock
Address on Enlistment: Murphy Street, White Hills
Age at Enlistment: 21 on January 26, 1915
Occupation: Farmer
Served: Egypt / Western Front.
Unit: 13th Light Horse, 21st Battalion, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion
Final Rank: L/Corporal
Fate: Returned March 31, 1919
Died: 14 Mar 1973 (aged 79) Buried: Kyabram Cemetery
MM Medal Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No 61
Date: 23 May 1919
During Operations on August 8, 1918, during the attack on FRAMERVILLE near AMIENS.
‘In the minutes before 0420 on the morning of 8 August 1918, officers from General John Monash to Second Lieutenant platoon commanders across the Australian front line anxiously checked their watches as the minutes ticked down. A terrifying torrent of heavy shellfire erupted along the Allied front, reaching into the German rear areas searching out their artillery and machine gun positions, while the ubiquitous 18 pounders provided the 'creeping barrage' behind which the infantry and tank assault began their advance.This blizzard of fire and steel heralded the opening of the battle named for the key French city, executing the meticulously prepared barrage and counter battery fire plans supporting the infantry and tank attacks. It was to be nicknamed by German General Ludendorf as 'der scwharze tag, or 'the black day' of the German Army. It was also the opening phase of the Allied campaign later known as the 'Hundred Days Offensive' that ultimately led to the end of the First World War.’[2]
[1] The Bendigoian, April 5,1917. P.9
[2] Virtual War Memorial Australia. Battle for Amiens.
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