Neill Ross Callaghan (1914 - 1942)

Born 17 Jan 1914 in Bexley, New South Wales, Australia

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 28 in At Sea

Biography

Neill Callaghan was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Neill Callaghan died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Neill Ross Callaghan was born in 1914 at Bexley, NSW, the youngest son of Reginald and Alice Wodley Callaghan.

He enlisted in the Australian Army Militia as a Private (224053) in the 17th Bn at North Sydney, NSW on 17 Oct 1939. At the time he was single, a traveller with Paul & Gray Ltd of Sussex St, Sydney and was living in Mosman, NSW. He was 6 ft 0 in tall. He was discharged on enlisting in the AIF.

He was married to Dorothea Nell (Nell) Walker at Randwick, NSW on 08 Jun 1940.^[1]

He enlisted in the Australian Army at Caulfield, NSW on 05 Jul 1940 as a Private (NX52913). At the time he was married, an accountant and was living with his wife at Randwick, NSW. He had dark hair and brown eyes.

He was posted to 6th Bn but was transferred to the Australian Army Service Corps, 8th Div Supply Column on 12 Aug 1940, where he was joined a few days later by his brother-in-law James Walker.

He was detached to the 23rd Infantry Bde on 25 Feb 1941 but was part of the "L Force" 8th Div Supply Column which disembarked at Rabaul from the HMAT "Neptuna" on 17 Mar 1941.

After the Japanese invasion of 23 Jan 1942, he was captured with his brother-in-law, James Walker at the Warangoi River and became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul.

He died on board the "Montevideo Maru" when it was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of the Philippines on 01 Jul 1942, en route from Rabaul to Hainan where he was destined for forced labour.

Sources

1. ↑ Family Notices (1940, June 19). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 10. Retrieved April 3, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17694034

• Birth - NSW BDM Birth index - CALLAGHAN NEILL R; 2922/1914; REGINALD G; ALICE M; ROCKDALE

• Marriage - NSW BDM Marriage index - 11918/1940; CALLAGHAN NEIL ROSE; WALKER DOROTHEA NELL; RANDWICK

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - CALLAGHAN NEILL ROSS : Service Number - NX52913 : Date of birth - 17 Jan 1914 : Place of birth - BEXLEY NSW : Place of enlistment - PADDINGTON NSW : Next of Kin - CALLAGHAN DOROTHEA - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=4647403

• Roll of Honour - Family Notices (1945, October 24). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 18. Retrieved April 3, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17957487 ... and ... Family Notices (1945, October 25). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 14. Retrieved April 3, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27921295 ... and ... Family Notices (1945, October 27). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 30. Retrieved April 3, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27924905

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1692135

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615460/callaghan,-neill-ross/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/622244

• Neill Ross Callaghan (The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/ : accessed 16 Mar 2024)