Lieutenant Colonel William Blythe Caldwell

Service number 69311, NX92
Ranks Held Captain, Lieutenant Colonel
Birth Date 1914-03-26
Birth Place Australia: New South Wales, Sydney, Croydon
Death Date 1983-12-06
Final Rank Lieutenant Colonel
Service Australian Army
Units
  • 2/2nd Australian Infantry Battalion
  • 14/32th Australian Infantry Battalion
  • Royal Australian Infantry Corps
Place Croydon
Conflicts/Operations
  • Period 1950-1959
  • Second World War, 1939-1945
Gazettes Published in London Gazette in 1958-01-01
Published in London Gazette in 1946-02-14
Published in London Gazette in 1941-05-09
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1958-01-16
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1946-02-21

Rolls

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    14/32th Australian Infantry Battalion
    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel
    London Gazette
    14 February 1946 on page 942 at position 76
    Commonwealth Gazette
    21 February 1946 on page 407 at position 22
  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    2/2nd Australian Infantry Battalion
    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
    Rank
    Captain
    London Gazette
    09 May 1941 on page 2646 at position 1
  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    Royal Australian Infantry Corps
    Conflict
    Period 1950-1959
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel
    London Gazette
    01 January 1958 on page 40 at position 2
    Commonwealth Gazette
    16 January 1958 on page 157 at position 9
  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945

Timeline

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