CALDWELL, William
| Service Numbers: | Captain, V6707 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 August 1915, Qualified Lieutenant 25.11.1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Last Unit: | 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | Fremantle, Western Australia, 26 February 1892 |
| Home Town: | Fremantle, Fremantle, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Beaconsfield Primary; Scotch College Claremont, Western Australia |
| Occupation: | High School Teacher |
| Died: | Geneva, Switzerland, 13 April 1984, aged 92 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Privately Cremated |
| Memorials: | Crawley University of Western Australia Honour Roll, Fremantle Scots Church Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Captain, Captain, 48th Infantry Battalion, Qualified Lieutenant 25.11.1915 | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb 1916: | Involvement 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Miltiades embarkation_ship_number: A28 public_note: '' | |
| 12 Feb 1916: | Embarked 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), HMAT Miltiades, Fremantle | |
| 8 Oct 1920: | Discharged AIF WW1 |
World War 2 Service
| 11 Oct 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , V6707, Lt Col, Military Secretary, Royal Park, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Mar 1946: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Lieutenant Colonel, V6707, Retired from Administrative Position |
Help us honour William Caldwell's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Helen Harmer
William was born in Fremantle on the 26.2.1892. His father was George Caldwell, a carpenter of Louisa St, Fremantle.
William won a scholarship from Beaconsfield school to Scotch College and was one of the first students at the University of Western Australia in 1913. William enlisted on the 16.8.1915 at Perth, aged 23 years 6 months. He was a High School Teacher at Scotch College and a Presbyterian. He was described as being 5 feet 7½ inches tall, with a chest measurement of 31-33 inches, fresh complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair. William qualified as a Lieutenant on the 25.11.1915 and was appointed to the 14/16th Reinforcements at Blackboy Hill on the 8.2.1916. He embarked from Fremantle on the HMAT Miltiades A28 on 12.2.1916.
Between August 1916 and August 1918, he served in France with the 48th Battalion and was twice wounded. He was promoted to Captain in February 1918.
On the 2.7.19 he was sent to Grenoble, France on Special Duty. William resumed his education at Oxford’s Balliol College from the 13.1.19 to 30.11.19 as a Rhodes Scholar.
William returned to Australia on the Orito on the 3.7.20 and his appointment was terminated on the 8.10.20.
Following the war, William passed an examination for recruitment to the League of Nations and joined its International Labor Organisation’s staff as an administrative Officer. He married French woman Berthe Rose Peccoud in 1924 and they had two children. He worked consistently to ensure that the organisation paid attention to developments in Australia and met State Premiers, the Prime Minister, prominent members and officials of the labour and union movements. He also visited New Zealand.
During WW2, the family moved to Melbourne, where William again enlisted, with the service number V6707, serving between October 1940 and March 1946 at AQA as a Military Secretary Branch Royal Park. He reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Following the war, he returned to Geneva and work at the League of Nations. He spoke French fluently and was the principal translator at conferences. He became Head of Personnel at the League of Nations in 1951 and retired two years later. William died in Geneva on the 13.4.1984 and is memorialised at the Columbarium Centre Funéaire de St Georges.
World War I service file, B2455, Caldwell, W (National Archives of Australia) Barcode 3191863
World War II service file, B884, V6707 (National Archives of Australia)
World War II service file, B884, V6707 (National Archives of Australia)
https://history.fremantle.wa.gov.au/