Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
Cecil Arthur Callaghan, (31 July 1890 – 1 January 1967) was an
Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (CA), who ...
officer who served during the
First
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
and the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
s. He was the commander of the
8th Division 8th Division, 8th Infantry Division or 8th Armored Division may refer to:
Infantry divisions
* 8th Division (Australia)
* 8th Canadian Infantry Division
* 8th Air Division (People's Republic of China)
* 8th Division (1st Formation) (People's Repu ...
when it surrendered to the
Japanese Empire at the
fall of Singapore
The Fall of Singapore, also known as the Battle of Singapore,; ta, சிங்கப்பூரின் வீழ்ச்சி; ja, シンガポールの戦い took place in the South–East Asian theatre of the Pacific War. The Empire o ...
in February 1942.
Early life
Cecil Arthur Callaghan was born in
Sydney,
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
, to a merchant and his wife on 31 July 1890. He worked in his father's footwear business after completing his education at
Sydney Grammar School. He joined the
Citizens Militia Force (CMF) in 1910 by enlisting in the Australian Field Artillery, and was commissioned the following year.
Military career
First World War
After
Britain's declaration of war against Germany in August 1914, Callaghan joined the
Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and was shipped to the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
with the 2nd Battery of the 1st Field Artillery Brigade. He participated in the
Gallipoli landings on 25 April 1915. He was awarded the
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, ty ...
for his actions in July, with the medal's citation reading as follows:
He was evacuated in December 1915, with the rest of the
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. It was formed in Egypt in December 1914, and operated during the Gallipoli campaign. General William Birdwood com ...
, from Gallipoli to Egypt and transferred to the
5th Division In military terms, 5th Division may refer to:
Infantry divisions
* 5th Division (Australia)
*5th Division (People's Republic of China)
* 5th Division (Colombia)
*Finnish 5th Division (Continuation War)
* 5th Light Cavalry Division (France)
*5th Mo ...
al Artillery. In March 1916, he was made commander of the 25th Howitzer Battery and promoted to
major.
[
Posted to the Western Front, Callaghan commanded a battery in the 13th Field Artillery Brigade in the Somme and Ypres sectors during 1917. After being promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel and being placed in command of the 4th Field Artillery Brigade, he spent a month as a liaison officer to French troops in June 1918. He returned to his command in time to lead it during the Hundred Days Offensive, which ultimately led to the ]armistice with Germany
The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...
and the end of the war,
Appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, the last of his four Mentions in Despatches that were earned in the war was gazetted on 11 July 1919. He was also awarded the French Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
. Returning to Australia in July 1919, his service with the AIF was terminated on 22 January 1920.[
]
Interwar period
Callaghan remained in the Citizens Militia Force (CMF) and in this capacity commanded various field artillery brigades from 1920 to 1926, as well as working in his family's footwear business (which would earn him the nickname "Boots"). From 1926, he was made temporary colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
and was made Commander, Royal Artillery {{Redirect, BGRA, colour format, RGBA color model
Commander, Royal Artillery (CRA) was a military appointment in Commonwealth infantry and armoured divisions in the 20th century. The CRA was the senior artillery officer in the division and commanded ...
(CRA) of the artillery of the 2nd Division (a CMF unit at the time) for several years under the then Brigadier General Gordon Bennett. His rank made permanent, he commanded the 8th Infantry Brigade, another CMF unit, from May 1934 to May 1938.
Second World War
Following the outbreak of the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
in September 1939, Callaghan was returned to active service in the Royal Australian Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery, normally referred to as the Royal Australian Artillery (RAA), is a Regiment of the Australian Army descended from the original colonial artillery units prior to Australia's federation. Australia's first ...
, promoted to brigadier
Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. I ...
in November, and assigned as CRA of Eastern Command. When the 8th Division 8th Division, 8th Infantry Division or 8th Armored Division may refer to:
Infantry divisions
* 8th Division (Australia)
* 8th Canadian Infantry Division
* 8th Air Division (People's Republic of China)
* 8th Division (1st Formation) (People's Repu ...
was formed in July 1940 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF, or Second AIF) was the name given to the volunteer expeditionary force of the Australian Army in the Second World War. It was formed following the declaration of war on Nazi Germany, with an initia ...
, he was made the division's CRA. When the divisional commander, Major General Vernon Sturdee
Lieutenant General Sir Vernon Ashton Hobart Sturdee, (16 April 1890 – 25 May 1966) was an Australian Army commander who served two terms as Chief of the General Staff. A regular officer of the Royal Australian Engineers who joined the M ...
, was appointed Chief of the General Staff The Chief of the General Staff (CGS) is a post in many armed forces (militaries), the head of the military staff.
List
* Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( United States)
* Chief of the General Staff (Abkhazia)
* Chief of General Staff (Af ...
(CGS) following the death of General Sir Brudenell White in August 1940, Callaghan once again came under the command of Bennett (now a major general), the new divisional commander.
Malayan campaign
Originally intended for the Middle East, one brigade (the 22nd) of the 8th Division embarked to Malaya in February 1941 to counter the growing threat from the Japanese Empire. Callaghan remained in Australia with the remainder of the division, eventually arriving in Singapore with the 27th Brigade in August.[ When the Japanese invaded Malaya on 8 December 1941, Callaghan was temporarily in command of the division][ while Bennett was in transit from a three-week visit to the Middle East, relinquishing command of the division to Bennett upon his return on 10 December. By early 1942, the Australians had retreated to Singapore Island, with Callaghan personally controlling the artillery supporting the defence of the northern side of the island. However, he was struck down with ]malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...
on 5 February and had to be evacuated to hospital. He eventually returned to his headquarters on 12 February, although command of the divisional artillery remained with a subordinate.
The Allied position on Singapore was now untenable, and on 15 February the General Officer Commanding, Malaya Lieutenant General Arthur Percival
Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, (26 December 1887 – 31 January 1966) was a senior British Army officer. He saw service in the First World War and built a successful military career during the interwar period but is most noted fo ...
decided to surrender. Bennett, rather than surrender with his command, opted to try and escape and handed command of the division to Callaghan. The division was surrendered to the Japanese the following day, Callaghan reporting personally to Japanese military authorities. Percival promoted him to temporary major general to ensure Callaghan had sufficient status with the Japanese as commander of all Australian forces in Singapore.
Callaghan was made a prisoner of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...
and was held in a former British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
barracks near Changi Prison
Changi Prison Complex, often known simply as Changi Prison, is a prison in Changi in the eastern part of Singapore.
History First prison
Before Changi Prison was constructed, the only penal facility in Singapore was at Pearl's Hill, beside ...
, along with the other Allied soldiers that had surrendered to the Japanese in Singapore. He was later held in camps in Formosa, Japan and lastly in Manchuria
Manchuria is an exonym (derived from the endo demonym " Manchu") for a historical and geographic region in Northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day Northeast China (Inner Manchuria) and parts of the Russian Far East (Outer M ...
, from which he was liberated by the Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army ( Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, afte ...
in August 1945. As a result of malaria, dysentery
Dysentery (UK pronunciation: , US: ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications ...
and the generally harsh conditions experienced by most prisoners of the Japanese, he lost a considerable amount of weight. As a prisoner of war, he endeavoured to maintain morale and discipline amongst his fellow prisoners. He was rewarded for his efforts by being made a Companion of the Order of the Bath and was Mentioned in Despatches after the war. He also provided evidence in investigations of Bennett's escape from Singapore, of which he did not approve.[
]
Later life
Callaghan retired from the Australian Army on 10 April 1947, having been made a major general earlier that year (with effect from 1 September 1942). After his retirement, he became involved with the . Ill for some time, he died on 1 January 1967, at the age of 76. The 8th Division Association honoured his death with a memorial service, and his remains were cremated.[
]
Notes
References
*
*
*
Generals of World War II
{{DEFAULTSORT:Callaghan, Cecil
1890 births
1967 deaths
Military personnel from Sydney
Australian Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
Australian Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
Australian Companions of the Order of the Bath
Australian generals
Australian merchants
Australian military personnel of World War I
Australian Army personnel of World War II
Australian prisoners of war
Knights of the Legion of Honour
World War II prisoners of war held by Japan