Local Heroes WW1

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David Wallace CALDWELL

Second Lieutenant David Wallis Caldwell, 27th Battalion, of Semaphore, SA. A carpenter before his enlistment in January 1915, he embarked from Adelaide, on HMAT Geelong with the rank of sergeant and service number 290. Later promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, Caldwell was killed in action during an attack on Malt Trench at the Butte de Warlencourt on 2 March 1917, aged 24, and is buried at Warlencourt British Cemetery in France.

Data Source: AIF Project

Photo Source: AWM
ID number    H19305
Photographer    Rich, E W
Object type    Black & white - Print silver gelatin
Date made    c 1916
Collection    Photograph

Description Studio portrait of Second Lieutenant David Wallis Caldwell, 27th Battalion, of Semaphore, SA.
Permalink: http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/H19305

 27th Battalion

ID number     P10427.023
Collection     Photograph
Object type     Colour - Toned black & white print
Photographer     Unknown
Place made     Egypt: North Egypt, Zeitoun
Date made     1915

Description

Informal outdoors portrait members of B Company, 27th Battalion taken during training. Identified are, probably left to right, back row: 385 Sergeant (Sgt) William Crowe McMillan; 282 Sgt Harrison McDouall Campbell; 290 Sgt David Wallis Caldwell; 270 Sgt Ernest William Bates. Front row: 255 Sgt Frank Brown; 315 Sgt Fred Gaskell; 311; Sgt William Herbert Fisher; 469 Sgt Horace John Townley; 483 Sgt Albert Frederick Wood. All men embarked from Adelaide on HMAT Geelong on 31 May 1915.

 

Sgt McMillan, a native of Beath, Scotland, was a bricklayer from Rosewater, SA prior to enlistment and became ill whilst serving on the Western Front and was returned to Australia. Following his recovery, he returned overseas and, after serving in France, returned to Australia on 20 June 1919.

 

Sgt Campbell, a native of Cromwell, NZ, was formerly a detective in the WA Police Force. He was promoted to Lieutenant whilst serving in France and awarded the Military Cross. Later wounded in action, he died as a result of his wounds on 23 November 1916 and was buried in the Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L'Abbe, France.

 

Sgt Caldwell was a carpenter from Semaphore, SA prior to enlistment and was promoted to Lieutenant whilst serving in France. On 2 March 1917 he was killed in action and was buried in the Warlencourt British Cemetery, France.

 

Sgt Bates was a letterpress machinist from Adelaide prior to enlistment. Whilst serving in France he was wounded in action and, on 7 August 1916, he died as a result of his wounds and was buried in the Puchevillers British Cemetery, France.

 

Sgt Gaskell, a university student from Stirling East, SA prior to enlistment was wounded in action in action in France and returned to Australia for home service on 22 July 1917.

 

Sgt Fisher, a bricklayer from Hackney, SA prior to enlistment, later transferred to the 2nd Pioneer Battalion where he was wounded in action. Subsequently promoted to Second Lieutenant, he was wounded in action for the second time and returned to Australia with the rank of Lieutenant on 8 April 1919.

 

Sgt Townley, a collar maker from Norwood, SA prior to enlistment, was later promoted to Warrant Officer Class 2 and on 14 October 1916, aged 22, was killed in action at Ypres and was buried in the Railway Dugouts Burial Ground, Belgium.

 

Two brothers, 1103 Private Alfred George Townley and Lieutenant Roy Townley also served with the 27th Battalion. Sgt Wood, a clerk from Parkside, SA, was the Company Quartermaster Sergeant before being promoted to Lieutenant. On 11 June 1918, he died of wounds received in action and was buried in the Franvillers Communal Cemetery Extension, France.

Biography of David Wallis Caldwell

Also Known as:    David Wallis Caldwell
Birth date:    1892
Birth place:    Australia: South Australia, Port Adelaide
Death date:    1917-03-02
Death place:    France: Picardie, Somme, Butte de Warlencourt
Final rank:    Lieutenant
Service number:     290 - First World War, 1914-1918

David Wallace Caldwell was born in South Australia during 1892 to David and Margaret Caldwell. A carpenter before the First World War, Caldwell enlisted on the 26 January 1915 and was assigned to the Infantry Base Depot. He was promoted to sergeant and departed Adelaid with the 27th Infantry battalion in Adelaide aboard HMAT Geelong on 31 January 1915.

Caldwell served with the 27th Infantry Battalion in Gallipoli and France until July 1916 where he was transferred to the 9th Cadet Battalion in England. On completing his studies at the School of Instruction, he was discharged from Gailes Ayrshire on the 10 November 1916 and told to report to Perham Downs. It was here that  he re-joined the 27th Infantry Battalion. David Caldwell was killed in action on 2 March 1917 whilst participating in an attack on German position at night and is buried at Warlencourt British Cemetery, France. AWM

ID number     J00044
Collection     Photograph
Object type     Black & white
Photographer     Barrington, Glen Roy
Place made     France: Picardie, Somme, Albert Bapaume Area, Warlencourt
Date made     c February 1919
Physical description     Black & white

Description

The grave of Lieutenant (Lt) David Wallace Caldwell, enlisted Semaphore, SA, and Lt Robert Hillman Botten of Adelaide, SA, and Lt Arthur Lucas of Adelaide, SA, all of the 27th Battalion, killed in action 2 March 1917, are buried together in Warlancourt British Cemetery. This image is one of a set of photographs of the original graves of some members of the 27th Battalion. The Battalion funded the purchase of the camera through its adjutant Captain (Capt) Southon for 5541 Pte G R Barrington to photograph the graves. The camera and negatives were then acquired by Major John L Treloar on behalf of the Australian War Museum, reimbursing costs for the camera to Capt Southon.

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