Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Caleb Francis Vacchini and Louisa Vacchini of Morris Street, Summer Hill, NSW.

Commenced return to Australia on 28 March 1919 aboard HT City of Poona disembarking on 14 May 1919 at Melbourne for onward travel to Sydney

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal

During 1925c Caleb married Gwenda B. Hamby in North Sydney, NSW.

Caleb Vacchini was born on 26 July 1900 in Picton, New South Wales and was baptised on 31 December 1902 in the Methodist tradition. His parents were Caleb Francis Vacchini and Louisa Vacchini. (1) They lived with his family around Summer Hill and Ashfield and his education included Cronulla Public School and later Sydney Technical High School, where he attended during 1914-15. His occupation prior to enlistment for the war was a printer.

Vacchini enlisted in the AIF on 25 April 1917 and was posted to the 3rd Infantry Battalion as a private. He embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Euripides on 31 October 1917 and disembarked at Devonport. Vacchini was sick to hospital in January 1918, isolated with mumps (3). After he recovered he served at to Depot at Sutton Veny until he proceeded overseas to France 1 April 1918. 

Vacchini was hospitalised with tonsillitis in August 1918 and was treated in France returing to his unit after convalescence in October. He commenced his return to Australia on 28 March 1919, disembarked in Melbourne on 14 May 1919, and was discharged from service on 9 June 1919. (1) 6 years later he married his wife, Gwenda B. Hamby in North Sydney, NSW and had one child Juli Vacchini. After the war he also acquired a job at Sydney Technical High School as an art teacher and was later promoted to head of art.  As head teacher of Art, he was later appointed as Senior Lecturer in Art on the 6th September, 1954. (2) His hobbies included playwriting and art leading him to create a war play called “Victory” which was staged at St James's Hall. His artistic pursuits reflected not only his creativity but also the sacrifices and memories carried from the battlefield, transformed into cultural expression. Caleb would later live in Northbridge, North Sydney, NSW in 1958. (2) His father, Caleb Francis Vacchini passed on the 29th of October 1947 and his mother would pass soon after in 1948. Caleb unfortunately died on the 19th of January, 1958 at the age of 57 in Northbridge. (2)

Bibliography

Virtual War Memorial Australia. Caleb Hutton Vacchini Service Record. https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/282142 (/explore/people/282142)

National Archives of Australia. Service Record of Caleb Hutton Vacchini. https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=8397154&isAv=N (recordsearch.naa.gov.au)

Australian War Memorial. Collection: R2065620, 3rd Infantry Battalion. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2065620 (www.awm.gov.au)

Google Drive Archive for C.H. Vacchini (Ken Stevenson’s research)

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iL6xVpDfiXgGsJAeRGTKZmnzd2ZTu0qU (drive.google.com)

AM Digital: The Battle of Passchendaele

https://www.amdigital.co.uk/insights/blog/battleofpasschendaele (www.amdigital.co.uk)

The Battles of Third Ypres - Diaries and Footage

https://www.abc.net.au/ww1-anzac/passchendaele/diaries-and-footage/ (www.abc.net.au)

The Battle of Amiens: 8 August 1918 | The Australian War Memorial

https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibitions/1918/battles/amiens  (www.awm.gov.au)

Endnotes

Virtual War Memorial Australia, Biography of Caleb Hutton Vacchini, Person ID 282142.
Google Drive Archive for C.H. Vacchini (Ken Stevenson’s research).
National Archives of Australia, Service Record of C.H. Vacchini, Barcode 8397154.
ABC, WWI ANZAC Diaries - Lieutenant Carson, 33rd Battalion (First Passchendaele).
Australian War Memorial, Official War Diary: Amiens Campaign, 1918.