Lieutenant Colonel William Blythe Caldwell

Service number NX92, 69311
Ranks Held Captain, Lieutenant Colonel
Birth Date 26/03/1914
Birth Place Australia: New South Wales, Sydney, Croydon
Death Date 06/12/1983
Final Rank Lieutenant Colonel
Service Australian Army
Units
  • 14/32th Australian Infantry Battalion
  • 2/2nd Australian Infantry Battalion
Place Croydon
Conflicts/Operations
  • Second World War, 1939-1945
  • Period 1945-1959

Rolls

Timeline

Career summary 18 course School of Artillery anti tank senior officers 8 Dec 42-21 Jan 43 (inc annual leave)
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)
Citations 5 EXT Sheet DN 1/41 LG 35357/41 Recmd by LTCOL FO Chilton CO 2/2nd Bn
WW2 Service 5 New Britain
Citations 4 His coolness and courage under fire set a stirring example to the men under his command.'
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.
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.
WW2 Service 1 Bardia-Benghazi
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 b
WW2 Service 4 New Guinea
Date of birth 26/03/1914 Croydon NSW
Date commissioned 09/03/1937
Interwar Service 1 09/03/1937 lieutenant 30th battalion
Interwar Service 3 04/09/1939 2nd battalion
Career summary 2 24/10/1939 enlisted 2AIF
Interwar Service 2 04/03/1939 2/35th
Career summary 1 13/10/1939 seconded as lieutenant 2/2nd battalion from 2nd battalion
Career summary 5 11/01/1940 captain (bd 13 Oct 39) reported
Career summary 3 c 1940-01-08 arrived Middle East (AIF Adv Party)
Career summary 6 09/02/1940 attached Leicester regiment 5
Career summary 4 1940-01-08 - 1940-02-03 course Middle East Weapons Training School (Middle East Wpn Training Sch
Career summary 7 10/11/1940 course Middle East Tactical School ? Oct
Career summary 8 07/03/1941 Military Cross
Career summary 11 1941-11-20 - 1942-01-25 attached Headquarters 6thDivision
Career summary 9 c 1941-03-19 arrived Greece
Career summary 10 c 1941-06-13 arrived Middle East ex Crete
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 ???
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 05/11/1942 commanding officer (retain temporary lieutenant colonel) 14/32nd battalion
Career summary 13 24/06/1942 attached 16th Brigade group Training School 2
Career summary 15 11/08/1942 temporary lieutenant colonel, commanding officer 5th battalion
Career summary 14 04/08/1942 Returned to Australia (Melb)
Career summary 12 27/03/1942 arrived Ceylon
Career summary 19 01/07/1943 arrived New Guinea
Career summary 20 20/06/1943 medical accidental knee injury
Career summary 23 04/11/1944 Arrived New Britain
Career summary 22 31/07/1944 arrived New Guinea
Career summary 21 23/06/1944 Returned to Australia (Townsville ) ex Lae
Career summary 25 1945-04-22 - 1945-06-03 course Land Headquarters Tactical School (senior Offrs)
Career summary 24 08/04/1945 Returned to Australia (Bris)
Career summary 26 23/07/1945 commanding officer NSW Lines of Communication Area lieutenantD
Career summary 27 29/11/1945 relinquished command NSW Lines of Communication Area lieutenantD
Citations 8 21/02/1946 Recmd by R.H. Sandover, COMD 6th Bde, CAG
Career summary 28 01/02/1946 Reserve of Officers
Career summary 29 21/02/1946 Companion of the Distinguished Service Order
Career summary 30 31/12/1957 Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Date of death 06/12/1983