Branch of Service

Army

Conflict

World War I (1914-1918)

Date of Enlistment

01/07/1915

Date of Discharge

18/10/1919

Place of Enlistment

Royal Military College, Duntroon ACT

Gender

Male

Date of Birth

08/05/1894

Place of Birth

Newcastle NSW

Address (at enlistment)

Royal Military College, Duntroon ACT

Occupation

Soldier

Next of Kin

Grace McCall (mother), Livingstone Road, Marrickville NSW

Final Rank

Major

Final Unit

20 Battalion AIF

Distinguished Service Order (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No.61, 23 May 1919)
Mention in Despatches (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No.165, 24 October 1918)

McCall entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon in March 1912 and was a member of the guard of honour at the naming ceremony at Canberra on 12 March 1913. He graduated early, along with members of his class, in June 1915 and embarked for Egypt as a Lieutenant with the 30th Battalion. He soon became the 20th Battalion Intelligence Officer and shortly after arriving in France, was mentioned in routine orders for his role in the attack on the Bridoux Salient near Armentières on 5 May 1916. While "under heavy artillery fire and when communication trenches were broken and no cover existed, he went forward to report on the situation displaying great valour, resource and initiative". Soon after he was promoted to Captain and became Adjutant of his battalion. Described as being quiet with plenty of common sense he also spoke French and during 1917 spent most of the year training and working as a Staff Officer. He was Mentioned in Despatches in April 1918 and promoted to Major in August 1918, becoming Brigade Major with the 6th Brigade shortly after the Battle of Mont St. Quentin. McCall was also awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his work at Ville-sur-Ancre, Morlancourt, Hangard and Mont St. Quentin during 1918 while attached to 6th Brigade Headquarters. He served as a temporary Colonel (service number VX114030) in World War 2 in Headquarters, Southern Command. McCall died on 3 August 1955.

Description - height 5 feet 7 inches, weight 154 pounds, chest 34-38 inches, Catholic.

Colonel J.E. Lee, 'Duntroon: The Royal Military College of Australia 1911-1946', 1952
AWM Honours & Awards
NAA RecordSearch - Series B2455 (First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920)
NSW State Records - www.investigator.records.nsw.gov.au/Search.aspx
Stories from the ACT Memorial, 'The Honour Guard at the Canberra Commencement Ceremony', ACT Heritage Library www.library.act.gov.au/find/history/stories_from_the_act_memorial
Sydney Mail - 18 August 1915