Calhoun, William
No.4772 – Private William Calhoun – 48th 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 18th 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 16th December 1915 to the 5th Depot Battalion. On the 1st February 1916 he was assigned to the 15th Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion AIF. This group trained in WA until it left Fremantle Harbour on the H.M.A.T. “Ulysses” on the 1st April 1916.
After arriving in Egypt William was sent to the 4th Training Battalion and on the 24th May 1916 he was re-allotted to the 12th Training Battalion. On the 7th June 1916 he embarked with the 12th Training Battalion for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 14th June 1916. He travelled north with this training battalion and was with them when they set up their training camp at Etaples.
On the 18th July 1916, William was taken on strength of the 48th Battalion AIF. He arrived just in time for their role in the Battle of the Somme. In early August the 48th 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 48th with the assistance of the 14th Battalion soon restored the position. On the 5th August William was sent to Hospital with influenza. Sent to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station he was moved to the 24th General Hospital at Etaples. His illness was serious enough for evacuation to England and after arriving in “Blighty” on the 27th 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 13th December 1916 he was sent to the 2nd Auxiliary Hospital at Southall.
On the 16th 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 20th October 1917 William was finally declared fit enough to return to France and so he set sail for Southampton. After a week at the 4th Australian Base Depot at Le Havre, William rejoined the 48th Battalion on the 2nd November 1917.
The 48th Battalion would be spending the French winter in the vicinity of Perrone and subsequently Warneton. After the German breakthrough of March 1918, the 48th Battalion as part of the 4th 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 25th March he had been sent to hospital ill. He returned a month later on the 24th April, having spent some time in a rest camp.
In May 1918 the 48th 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 4th 1918, the 4th & 11th Brigades captured the French village of Hamel. The 48th Battalion was one of the support units and helped occupy the captured ground. On the 6th 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



