Calhoun, William

No.4772 – Private William Calhoun – 48^th Battalion AIF

William Calhoun was born in Fremantle Western Australia in 1891 to Arthur and Rebecca Calhoun. The family resided at Preston Point Road East Fremantle. William was educated at Christian Brothers College Fremantle and after leaving took up work as a farm labourer.

On the 18^th November 1915 William applied to enlist into the Australian Imperial Force. He was given a medical examination and found to be 5 feet 5 ¼ inches in height; weight of 152 lbs; chest measurement of 35-37 inches; dark complexion; grey eyes and dark brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.

William was passed as fit and initially assigned to No.37 Depot and then on the 16^th December 1915 to the 5^th Depot Battalion. On the 1^st February 1916 he was assigned to the 15^th Reinforcements to the 16^th Battalion AIF. This group trained in WA until it left Fremantle Harbour on the H.M.A.T. “Ulysses” on the 1^st April 1916.

After arriving in Egypt William was sent to the 4^th Training Battalion and on the 24^th May 1916 he was re-allotted to the 12^th Training Battalion. On the 7^th June 1916 he embarked with the 12^th Training Battalion for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 14^th June 1916. He travelled north with this training battalion and was with them when they set up their training camp at Etaples.

On the 18^th July 1916, William was taken on strength of the 48^th Battalion AIF. He arrived just in time for their role in the Battle of the Somme. In early August the 48^th Battalion took over part of the line and was immediately subject to an assault by the Germans. Men were captured and the Germans gained territory however the 48^th with the assistance of the 14^th Battalion soon restored the position. On the 5^th August William was sent to Hospital with influenza. Sent to the 3^rd Casualty Clearing Station he was moved to the 24^th General Hospital at Etaples. His illness was serious enough for evacuation to England and after arriving in “Blighty” on the 27^th August, William was admitted to the Norfolk War Hospital. Initially diagnosed with pyrexia of unknown origin he was then found to have paratyphoid. The next few months would be spent in Norfolk War Hospital and on the 13^th December 1916 he was sent to the 2^nd Auxiliary Hospital at Southall.

On the 16^th December 1916 William was admitted to No.2 Australian Convalescent Hospital at Weymouth. The first six months of 1917 would be spent here. William did get into trouble by overstaying his leave by five days and as a punishment was given 7 days confined to barracks and 6 days forfeiture of pay. In June 1917 William was diagnosed with VD so he was sent to No.1 Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford, where he would stay until September 1917. By the 20^th October 1917 William was finally declared fit enough to return to France and so he set sail for Southampton. After a week at the 4^th Australian Base Depot at Le Havre, William rejoined the 48^th Battalion on the 2^nd November 1917.

The 48^th Battalion would be spending the French winter in the vicinity of Perrone and subsequently Warneton. After the German breakthrough of March 1918, the 48^th Battalion as part of the 4^th Division was sent to the Somme where they came into contact with the Germans and stopped their advance. William missed this action as on the 25^th March he had been sent to hospital ill. He returned a month later on the 24^th April, having spent some time in a rest camp.

In May 1918 the 48^th Battalion attacked Monument Wood but their action was unsuccessful and for the rest of May and into June they continued to hold the line in the vicinity of Villers-Bretonneux.

On July 4^th 1918, the 4^th & 11^th Brigades captured the French village of Hamel. The 48^th Battalion was one of the support units and helped occupy the captured ground. On the 6^th July 1918 William Calhoun was killed in action. Initially buried at Vouix Communal Cemetery, after the war William was transferred to the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery in plot VIII.C.10