Service number | 382001, VX50081 |
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Ranks Held | Major, Temporary Lieutenant Colonel, Temporary Major |
Birth Date | 1913-02-02 |
Birth Place | Australia: Victoria, Melbourne |
Death Date | 1995-07-20 |
Final Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
Service | Australian Army |
Units |
|
Place | Melbourne |
Conflicts/Operations |
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Gazettes |
Published in London Gazette in 1943-05-28 Published in London Gazette in 1946-02-14 Published in London Gazette in 1943-12-23 Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1943-12-23 Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1943-06-03 Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1946-02-21 |
Lieutenant Colonel Bernard James Callinan
Rolls
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- 2nd Independent Company
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
- Rank
- Temporary Major
- London Gazette
- 23 December 1943 on page 5574 at position 20
- Commonwealth Gazette
- 23 December 1943 on page 2798 at position 32
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Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- 26th Australian Infantry Battalion
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
- Rank
- Temporary Lieutenant Colonel
- London Gazette
- 14 February 1946 on page 942 at position 80
- Commonwealth Gazette
- 21 February 1946 on page 407 at position 26
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Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- 2nd Independent Company
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
- Rank
- Major
- London Gazette
- 28 May 1943 on page 2374 at position 16
- Commonwealth Gazette
- 03 June 1943 on page 1150 at position 54
Timeline
Date of birth | 02 February 1913 | Melbourne, VIC |
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Date commissioned | 05 June 1940 | |
Career summary 1 | 05 July 1940 | lieutenant Reserve of Officers (Engrs) |
Career summary 3 | 05 July 1940 | Engr Training Centre (28th Engr Training Depot) |
Career summary 4 | 15 October 1940 | Citizens Military Force Royal Australian Engineers (Fd) |
Career summary 5 | 03 March 1941 | seconded & enlisted 2AIF |
Career summary 6 | 03 March 1941 | instructor Demolitions Wing, 101 British Military Mission, 7th Infantry Training Centre |
Career summary 7 | 05 July 1941 | captain 2iC 2/2nd Indep Company |
Career summary 8 | 12 December 1941 | arrived Timor |
Career summary 9 | 22 February 1942 | missing in action (reported) |
Career summary 10 | 24 May 1942 | officer commanding 2/2nd Indep Company |
Career summary 11 | 04 July 1942 | temporary major commanding officer Australian Troops Sparrow Force |
Career summary 12 | 11 November 1942 | commanding officer Sparrow Force |
Career summary 13 | 10 January 1943 | Returned to Australia (Darwin) |
Career summary 15 | 02 February 1943 | major (bd 1 Sep 4 |
Career summary 14 | 06 February 1943 | MARRIED |
Career summary 16 | 31 March 1943 | general service officer grade 2 (ops) Headquarters FAA |
Career summary 17 | 1943-05-02 - 1943-07-09 | course Jnr Staff S |
Career summary 18 | 29 May 1943 | Mention in Despatches (7 Dec 41-30 Sep 42) |
Career summary 19 | 30 August 1943 | arrived Merauke |
Career summary 20 | 05 November 1943 | 2iC 31/51st battalion |
Career summary 21 | 21 November 1943 | Returned to Australia (Townsville ) |
Career summary 22 | 21 November 1943 | attached Special Duty |
Career summary 24 | 21 November 1943 | arrived Merauke |
Career summary 23 | 23 December 1943 | Military Cross |
Career summary 25 | 20 April 1944 | Returned to Australia (Townsville ) |
Career summary 26 | 1944-04-22 - 1944-06-03 | course Land Headquarters Tactical School senior offi |
Career summary 27 | 05 July 1944 | arrived Merauke |
Career summary 28 | 08 August 1944 | Returned to Australia (Townsville ) |
Career summary 29 | 08 December 1944 | arrived Bougainville |
Career summary 30 | 1945-01-30 - 1945-02-08 | attached 26th batta |
Career summary 31 | 08 February 1945 | temporary lieutenant colonel, commanding officer 26th battalion |
Appointment | 1945-02-08 - 1945-12-14 | Battalion: 26th; Rank on appointment: major, temporary lieutenant colonel ; Appointed from: 2iC 31/52nd battalion ; Reason for end of appointment: demobilised |
Career summary 33 | 08 July 1945 | Returned to Australia (Melb) ex Bougainville |
Career summary 34 | 04 August 1945 | arrived Bougainville |
Career summary 32 | 1945-09 | administering command 11th Brigade |
Career summary 36 | 17 September 1945 | arrived Rabaul |
Career summary 37 | 14 December 1945 | relinquished command 26th battalion (demob) |
Career summary 35 | 03 January 1946 | lieutenant colonel (bd 8 Feb 45) gazetted |
Career summary 38 | 18 January 1946 | Returned to Australia (Syd) |
Career summary 39 | 06 February 1946 | Reserve of Officers |
Date of death | 20 July 1995 | |
Date and unit at enlistment (ORs) | 3 March 1941 | |
Date of discharge | 5 February 1946 | |
Career summary 2 | course #12 SMiddle East (Casula) Jun-Sep 40 [from Callinan's own correspondence] | |
Career summary 40 | ***POST WAR*** | |
Citations 10 | On 5 Mar 45 he successfully cleared SAPOSA ISLAND of the enemy, ensuring the protection of his flank and later occupied TAIOF Island. | |
Citations 11 | Despite considerable enemy artillery activity, Lt-Col. CALLINAN was constantly moving amongst his men, exposing himself to enemy fire whilst carrying out personal reconnaisances of enemy positions to plan further attacks. His cheerful disposition and skilful leadership was outstanding and was instrumental in maintaining a very high morale in the Unit, making possible the success of all the actions the Unit was engaged in, despite the determination of the enemy to hold SORAKEN PENINSULA at all costs.' | |
Citations 2 | 'For outstanding courage, skill and leadership while serving with 2/2 Aust Indep Coy and LANCER FORCE in Portuguese TIMOR between Feb 42 and Jan 43. Always cheerful, cool and clear-thinking, this Officer was an inspiration to his men during nearly twelve months of guerilla fighting against vastly superior numbers of Japanese an hostile natives. His personal recces through enemy-occupied country, the valuable information he brought back and his skilful handling first of the Coy and then of the Force enabled severe casualties to be inflicted on the enemy and our resistance to be maintained for the maximum practicable period. | |
Citations 3 | When the Force was ordered to evacuate, he skilfully disengaged it from contact with the enemy, led it for three days over the mountains, across rivers and through swamps and embarked it without loss of personnel. he personally organized the final details of the evacuation and remained on the beach until the last boat left. Before commencing this evacuation he volunteered to remain on TIMOR to organize native resistance but was not permitted to do so.' | |
Citations 5 | 'REF Map TAIOF ISLAND 1 in to 1 ml. For outstanding courage and devotion to duty. | |
Citations 6 | As commanding officer of 26 Aust Inf Bn (AIF) Lt-Col CALLINAN was responsible for clearing the enemy and gaining control of the North West coast of Bougainville. | |
Citations 7 | On 26 Feb 45 the unit commenced to advance from the GILLMAN River meeting stubborn opposition from strong enemy pockets. | |
Citations 8 | Lt-Col CALLINAN destroyed a number of enemy positions by sound planning and able leadership. The enemy made a strong stand at the COMPTON River and subjected the unit to constant artillery fire. | |
Citations 9 | Lt-Col. CALLINAN then planned the capture of SORAKEN Plantation by a series of night landings (the first taking place on night 11 Mar 45 ) behind the enemy forward positions, which had the effect of completely disorganising the enemy resistance and allowing the SORAKEN Peninsula to be captured with practically no casualties to his own men. |