Australian Military Units
NX92 William Blythe 'The Pampas Bull' Caldwell
| Date of birth | 1914-03-26 | Croydon NSW |
| Interwar Service 1 | 1937-03-09 | lieutenant 30th battalion |
| Date commissioned | 1937-03-09 | |
| Interwar Service 2 | 1939-03-04 | 2/35th |
| Interwar Service 3 | 1939-09-04 | 2nd battalion |
| Career summary 1 | 1939-10-13 | seconded as lieutenant 2/2nd battalion from 2nd battalion |
| Career summary 2 | 1939-10-24 | enlisted 2AIF |
| Career summary 4 | 1940-01-08 - 1940-02-03 | course Middle East Weapons Training School (Middle East Wpn Training Sch |
| Career summary 5 | 1940-01-11 | captain (bd 13 Oct 39) reported |
| Career summary 6 | 1940-02-09 | attached Leicester regiment 5 |
| Career summary 7 | 1940-11-10 | course Middle East Tactical School ? Oct |
| Career summary 8 | 1941-03-07 | Military Cross |
| Career summary 11 | 1941-11-20 - 1942-01-25 | attached Headquarters 6thDivision |
| Career summary 12 | 1942-03-27 | arrived Ceylon |
| Career summary 13 | 1942-06-24 | attached 16th Brigade group Training School 2 |
| Career summary 14 | 1942-08-04 | Returned to Australia (Melb) |
| Career summary 15 | 1942-08-11 | temporary lieutenant colonel, commanding officer 5th battalion |
| Appointment | 1942-08-11 - 1942-11-05 | Battalion: 5th; Rank on appointment: major, temporary lieutenant colonel ; Appointed from: 2/2nd battalion ; Reason for end of appointment: new command -infantry battalion (was 5th disbanded?) |
| Career summary 17 | 1942-11-05 | commanding officer (retain temporary lieutenant colonel) 14/32nd battalion |
| Appointment | 1942-11-05 - 1945-07-23 | Battalion: 14/32nd; Rank on appointment: major, temporary lieutenant colonel ; Appointed from: commanding officer 5th battalion ; Reason for end of appointment: new command -BU ??? |
| Career summary 20 | 1943-06-20 | medical accidental knee injury |
| Career summary 19 | 1943-07-01 | arrived New Guinea |
| Career summary 21 | 1944-06-23 | Returned to Australia (Townsville ) ex Lae |
| Career summary 22 | 1944-07-31 | arrived New Guinea |
| Career summary 23 | 1944-11-04 | Arrived New Britain |
| Career summary 24 | 1945-04-08 | Returned to Australia (Bris) |
| Career summary 25 | 1945-04-22 - 1945-06-03 | course Land Headquarters Tactical School (senior Offrs) |
| Career summary 26 | 1945-07-23 | commanding officer NSW Lines of Communication Area lieutenantD |
| Career summary 27 | 1945-11-29 | relinquished command NSW Lines of Communication Area lieutenantD |
| Career summary 28 | 1946-02-01 | Reserve of Officers |
| Citations 8 | 1946-02-21 | Recmd by R.H. Sandover, COMD 6th Bde, CAG |
| Career summary 29 | 1946-02-21 | Companion of the Distinguished Service Order |
| Career summary 30 | 1957-12-31 | Officer of the Order of the British Empire |
| Career summary 3 | c 1940-01-08 | arrived Middle East (AIF Adv Party) |
| Career summary 9 | c 1941-03-19 | arrived Greece |
| Career summary 10 | c 1941-06-13 | arrived Middle East ex Crete |
| Career summary 18 | course School of Artillery anti tank senior officers 8 Dec 42-21 Jan 43 (inc annual leave) | |
| WW2 Service 4 | New Guinea | |
| WW2 Service 5 | New Britain | |
| Citations 4 | His coolness and courage under fire set a stirring example to the men under his command.' | |
| Citations 3 | Despite the fact that the enemy were sniping vigourously Capt. CALDWELL went forward and formulated his plan for the attack from first hand information, enabling his Coy. eventually to capture the position which contained four 3" dual purpose A.A. Guns and sveral machine guns. | |
| Citations 7 | 'For consistently valuable services in connection with the first landing of Aust tps in JACQUINOT BAY and the subsequent advance into WIDE BAY. On Oct 44 this officer was in command of the initial landing of 14/32 Aust Inf Bn in NEW BRITAIN and played a leading part in the tactical and administrative planning for this operation. From then until the fall of KAMANDRAN in Feb 45 Lt-Col CALDWELL's Bn were the leading tps in 6 Aust Inf Bde's advance to TOL. The successful development of a series of bases along the coast owed much to his careful and detailed work. He commanded his Bn during the final assault on TOL-WAITAVALO and was responsible for the capture of SUGI MT, the loss of which finally broke the Japanese resistance in that area. His leadership throughout the whole operation was an inspiration to His Bn. H has commanded 14/32 Aust Inf Bn for nearly 2 1/2 years. He previously served with 2/2 Aust Inf Bn and was decorated for gallantry in GREECE.' | |
| Citations 2 | 'On the morning of the 4 Jan. 41 "A" Coy. was givent he task of capturing a gun position on the heights above LOWER BARDIA. | |
| WW2 Service 1 | Bardia-Benghazi | |
| Citations 5 | EXT Sheet DN 1/41 LG 35357/41 Recmd by LTCOL FO Chilton CO 2/2nd Bn | |
| Career summary 16 | lieutenant colonel 1 Sep 42 (this appears to have been backdated though, because he is appointed to his next comd still as a temporary lieutenant colonel) | |
| Date of death | 1983-12-06 |
Occupation: Assistant Valuer
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