Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Archibald Gracey McCullough was born in Hobart, Tasmania in 1894.  Archibald had dark brown hair, blue eyes and fair skin colour. He was 5 foot 7 inches and weighed 64kg (143 lb). McCullough’s religious background was the Church of England. Archibald was married to Ruby McCullough. The exact date of their union is unknown. It is unknown if they had children. Archibald’s occupation was a Draper before he served in World War 1.

At the time Archibald enlisted he was living along Owen Terrace in Wallaroo, South Australia. Archibald enlisted for the AIF (Australian Imperial Force) on the 10th of February 1915 at Keswick Barracks. He was 21 years old at the time.  Archibald joined the 27th Battalion as a Private. He was part of the C Company. The 27th Battalion was the second of the predominantly South Australian Battalions to be raised in WW1. Archibald trained with his Battalion in the newly established Mitcham Camp south of the city of Adelaide, from the 16th of April 1915 to the end of May 1915. As the 27th Battalion was part of the 7th Brigade, Archibald’s Battalion embarked on the HMAT Geelong on the 31st of May 1915, bound for Egypt where further training was undergone.

In September, Archibald and the Battalion landed at Gallipoli where he and his unit remained until the evacuation in December. The ANZAC’s evacuation was the most successful phase of the entire campaign in the most difficult part of the war. Effecting a clean break without detention and exploitation by the Turks was achieved masterfully.

During the re-consolidation and “Doubling of the AIF” which took place in Egypt, many 27th Battalion men and reinforcements were posted to a range of Brigade Divisional and other units as the new organisation took shape, and new drafts of reinforcements arrived. Archibald stayed in the 27th Battalion and embarked for Marseilles, France, in April with his unit aboard a range of ships. From Marseilles they entrained for a journey to the very northern boundary of France near the Belgian border around the Armentieres sector. This was known informally as “The Nursery”. It was here that Archibald and troops new to the Front were conditioned to Trench Warfare, even though they were in a relatively quiet section on the Front.

Archibald and his Battalion fought with distinction throughout the Western Front. He was Wounded in Action on the 20th of September 1917, in Belgium and was admitted to the 7th Field Ambulance due to a Shell Wound in the back.  He discharged from the hospital back to duty 5 days later.

On the 18th of February 1918, Archibald Gracey McCullough was declared an Illegal Absentee as he was Absent without Leave in France. On the 9th of March he surrendered to Military Authorities in Belfast. His trial was held at the District Court Martial at Warwick Square on the 23rd of March 1918. McCullough was pledged guilty of going A.W.L (Absent Without Leave) from 18/2/18 to 9/3/18. His sentence was to undergo detention for 80 days and his total forfeiture was 144 days’ pay. He was admitted to the Gosport Detention Barracks in Tidworth.

On the 26th of June 1918, Archibald embarked at Folkstone and proceeded overseas for duty in France. A month after he landed, in the afternoon of the 11th of July 1918, McCullough reported that he had shot himself in the Left Arm and was admitted to the 6th Field Ambulance.  It was later that he was charged for negligently discharging his rifle thereby wounding himself and his trial was held at the Field General Court Martial in France. McCullough was sentenced to 2 years Imprisonment with Hard Labour.

While under Imprisonment, Archibald transferred to England due to a self-inflicted Gun Shot Wound in the Left Arm as it was quite severe. He was admitted to the Alexandra Hospital in Cotham. On the 31st of May 1919, McCullough was discharged from the hospital for return to Australia. Archibald left England for return to Australia by H.T “Aeneas”. As well as returning to Australia, an unexpired portion of his sentence was remitted. On the 12th of July 1919, he finally reached Australia. He disembarked at Melbourne for Adelaide.

Archibald Gracey McCullough finally discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on the 3rd of November 1919, in Adelaide as he was Medically Unfit, and his Disability was his Accidental Gun Shot Wound in the Left Arm. McCullough was awarded 3 medals after his duty of serving in the AIF. He received the Victory Medal, the British War Medal, and the 1914-15 Star Medal.

Archibald moved to Keswick with his wife Ruby McCullough. It is unknown if they had children after he was discharged. Eventually, McCullough died at the age of 87 in 1981. His cause of death is unknown.