Pte
Peter Callinan
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1877 |
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Place of birth: Carlton, Victoria, Australia |
General information
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Last known residence: Richmond, Victoria, Australia |
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Profession: Surveyor |
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Religion: Roman Catholic |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 59778 |
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Enlistment date: 11/03/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 8th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 04/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Brick Kiln & Yard, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 40 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XXXVI Row: F Grave: 3 |
Distinctions and medals 3
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British War Medal Medal |
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Military Medal Medal — 27/09/1917 |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Peter Callinan, a former surveyor, was born in September 1877 in Carlton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; and lived in Perth, Cambridge, Western Australia. He was the son of Edward and Ellen Callinan. On March 11, 1916 he enlisted in Melbourne and embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on July 28, 1916, with the 19th reinforcement of the 6th Battalion, part of the 2nd Australian Brigade of the 1st Australian Division. He later joined the 8th Battalion, of the same Brigade.
He was awarded the military medal for initiative and resource in guiding company in critical situation (Polygon Wood, September 20, 1917). Unfortunately, he did not know this before he died.
On October 2nd, the 8th Battalion moved from their bivouacs and shelters at Château Segard to the Anzac Ridge, between Westhoek and Zonnebeke, where they relieved two companies of the 9th Battalion. On the 4th of October 1917 the 1st Division advanced from Zonnebeke. The Division was to attack at 6 a.m. with the 1st Australian Brigade, on the right, and the 2nd Brigade, on the left. Half an hour before the attack the Australian positions were heavily shelled, as the Germans were planning an attack on the same day.
At 6 a.m. the men advanced, when the Allied barrage came crashing down. The German Infantry in front of them left their positions almost at the same time. However while the Australians broke free from the German barrage on their frontline, the Allied barrage caught the German Infantrymen in no man’s land. The results were devastating. Many Germans were killed by the barrage. Those who survived were disorientated and didn’t put up much of a fight. The advance continued. Both Romulus and Remus Wood proved difficult to advance through. The terrain was marshy and the woods were heavily wired. The attack was diverted round the flanks. When the men of the 5th Prussian Guards (Grenadiers) had recovered from the initial surprise, they took up positions in various pill-boxes and fortified shell holes. But whenever the 8th Battalion encountered opposition from such strongholds, these were outflanked and then charged.
The 8th Battalion reached the first objective a.k.a. the Red Line, just east of Romulus and Remus Wood at 6.30 a.m. While consolidating the line the 8th Battalion came under fire from 77 mm guns on the Broodseinde - Beselare Road, just east of the Red Line. These were eventually captured by a platoon of the Battalion. After the Red Line had been consolidated by 7.30 a.m. the attack was taken over by the 6th and 7th Battalions. They eventually captured the second objective aka the Blue Line at Celtic Wood.
Peter, aged 40, was killed in action on October 4, 1917. He was killed instantly when he went out to No Man’s Land seeking information as he was a scout, in the heavy fighting of the morning of October 4, 1917. Private Callinan was initially buried where he fell, at Brick Kiln & Yard (28.D.28.a.20.00). His remains were exhumed and reinterred at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Plot 36, Row F, Grave 3.
He was awarded the military medal for initiative and resource in guiding company in critical situation (Polygon Wood, September 20, 1917). Unfortunately, he did not know this before he died.
On October 2nd, the 8th Battalion moved from their bivouacs and shelters at Château Segard to the Anzac Ridge, between Westhoek and Zonnebeke, where they relieved two companies of the 9th Battalion. On the 4th of October 1917 the 1st Division advanced from Zonnebeke. The Division was to attack at 6 a.m. with the 1st Australian Brigade, on the right, and the 2nd Brigade, on the left. Half an hour before the attack the Australian positions were heavily shelled, as the Germans were planning an attack on the same day.
At 6 a.m. the men advanced, when the Allied barrage came crashing down. The German Infantry in front of them left their positions almost at the same time. However while the Australians broke free from the German barrage on their frontline, the Allied barrage caught the German Infantrymen in no man’s land. The results were devastating. Many Germans were killed by the barrage. Those who survived were disorientated and didn’t put up much of a fight. The advance continued. Both Romulus and Remus Wood proved difficult to advance through. The terrain was marshy and the woods were heavily wired. The attack was diverted round the flanks. When the men of the 5th Prussian Guards (Grenadiers) had recovered from the initial surprise, they took up positions in various pill-boxes and fortified shell holes. But whenever the 8th Battalion encountered opposition from such strongholds, these were outflanked and then charged.
The 8th Battalion reached the first objective a.k.a. the Red Line, just east of Romulus and Remus Wood at 6.30 a.m. While consolidating the line the 8th Battalion came under fire from 77 mm guns on the Broodseinde - Beselare Road, just east of the Red Line. These were eventually captured by a platoon of the Battalion. After the Red Line had been consolidated by 7.30 a.m. the attack was taken over by the 6th and 7th Battalions. They eventually captured the second objective aka the Blue Line at Celtic Wood.
Peter, aged 40, was killed in action on October 4, 1917. He was killed instantly when he went out to No Man’s Land seeking information as he was a scout, in the heavy fighting of the morning of October 4, 1917. Private Callinan was initially buried where he fell, at Brick Kiln & Yard (28.D.28.a.20.00). His remains were exhumed and reinterred at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Plot 36, Row F, Grave 3.
Sources 5
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2nd Brigade Australian Infantry (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/2/30). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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8th Battalion Australian Infantry (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/25/34). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCDIG1064166). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455). https://www.naa.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Unit embarkation nominal rolls, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM8). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/462164 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7380441 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=fa46676a-fab5-41d4-9b76-65026fa6d3b8 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=43558 |