Douglas William CULLAM

CULLAM, Douglas William

    Service Numbers: 291, N275722, 424987
    Enlisted: 11 December 1914
    Last Rank: Flying Officer
    Last Unit: Aircrew Holding Units
    Born: Newtown, New South Wales, Australia, 21 January 1895
    Home Town: Normanhurst, Ku-ring-gai, New South Wales
    Schooling: Sydney Technical High School, New South Wales, Australia
    Occupation: Electrical engineer
    Memorials: Double Bay War Memorial, Sydney Technical High School WW1 Roll Of Honour
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    World War 1 Service

    11 Dec 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 291, 12th Light Horse Regiment
    13 Jun 1915: Involvement Private, 291, 12th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: ''
    13 Jun 1915: Embarked Private, 291, 12th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Suevic, Sydney
    5 Nov 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Australian Flying Corps (AFC)
    21 Nov 1917: Involvement Australian Flying Corps (AFC), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Nestor embarkation_ship_number: A71 public_note: ''
    21 Nov 1917: Embarked Australian Flying Corps (AFC), HMAT Nestor, Melbourne
    28 Oct 1918: Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Australian Flying Corps (AFC)

    World War 2 Service

    21 Oct 1941: Involvement Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, N275722
    21 Oct 1941: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, N275722
    10 Oct 1942: Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 424987, Aircrew Holding Units
    10 Oct 1942: Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, N275722
    10 Oct 1942: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 424987, Aircrew Holding Units
    25 Feb 1946: Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 424987, Aircrew Holding Units

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    Biography contributed by Sydney Technical High School

    Born to Mr Willliam E Cullam and Mrs D W Cullam on the 21st January 1895, he resided at 5902/1895 Newtown Sydney(3). While his primary school was unknown, he attended Sydney Technical High School from 1903-1909(4). Before the war he moved housing to 'Myanoshta' Pennant Hills Road in Normanhurst(5).He worked as an electrical engineer before the war

    He enlisted on the 11th of December 1914 at age 23 as a Private in the 4th Troop 12th Light Horse Regiment B squadron under unit number 291(6). A group portrait of the squadron was taken(7) before departing aboard the HMAT A29 Suevic on the 13th of June 1915 towards a British Garrison in Aden that was thought to be about to be raided. They then sailed off on the 18th of July before rendezvousing in Egypt on the 23rd of July in order to be trained as infantry.(8)

    After training in Egypt, he and his regiment when to Gallipoli where as part of the B-squadron, they were sent to reinforce the already onshore 7th regiment in holding a defensive line on the right side of the ANZAC line(9). “A pitch dark night and you standing in a narrow trench just wide enough to stop your shoulders from rubbing the sides”(10) shows the claustrophobic and treacherous life in trench warfare.

    During this time in Gallipoli, Cullam caught influenza and was sent to the hospital ship Grantilly Castle. Due to his illness he returned to Australia in February 1916 and was discharged on the 26th July 1916. He reenlisted on the 5th November 1917 and embarked on the A71 Nestor from Melbourne 21st November 1917, disembarking at Southhampton on the 24th January 1918. He then marched into the Australian Flying Corp training depot to train as a pilot. Cullam flew the Sopwith F.1. Camel, “the most significant and famous of all WW1 aircraft” with 1294 enemy fighters downed in the war(16). However on a solo cross-country flight, a crash at Melksham due to an engine failure caused slight injury to him with only 46 hours of flight experience and 10 on this specific plane. His training continued and he passed several flying tests over the next few months, and then proceeded overseas to France on the 3rd November 1918. The war ended a few days later. He was struck off strength and returned to Austrlaia 6th May 1919.  

     

    Refrences

    1. Virtual War Memorial - CULLAM Douglas William

    2. Ibid

    3. National Archives of Australia: CULLAM Douglas William

    4. Virtual War Memorial - STHS WW1 Honour Board
    Google Drive, Ken Stevenson

    5. Ibid

    6. Australian War Memorial

    7. Ibid

    8. Ibid

    9. State Library Victoria: Taylor AH Manuscript

    10. Ibid

    11. Ibid

    12. ANZAC Portal

    13. Ibid

    14. Ibid

    15. National Air and Space museum

    16. Ibid

    17. Ibid

    18. Ibid

    19. Ibid

    Bibliography

    Ken Stevenson, Research on Google Drive

    Virtual War Memorial on : 12th Light Horse, AFC, Douglas William Cullam

    NAA on Douglas William Cullam

    Victoria State Library on the AFC

    ANZAC portal on: Light Horse, Palestine Battles

    Australian War Memorial on: 12th Light Horse, Flight in WW1, Photo of the 12th Light Horse

    National Air and Space museum on Sopwith F.1. Camel

    State Library Victoria: Taylor AH Manuscript

     

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