AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Callinan, Bernard James

John Robertson

Administrator
Staff member
  • SURNAME
Callinan
  • FORENAME
Bernard James
  • UNIT
2/2 Independent Company
  • RANK
Major
  • NUMBER
VX50081
  • AWARD
Military Cross,Mention in Despatches
  • PLACE
Timor 1942-43
  • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 02.02.1913
resided Flat 22,"Tudor Close", Eildon Road, St Kilda, Victoria
father M.J. Callinan of 23 Carlyle Street, Moonee Ponds, Victoria
15.10.40 first commissioned
03.03.1941 enlisted AIF
awarded D.S.O. for Bougainville 1945 (LtColonel)
resided 1945 Haydens Road, Beaumaris, Victoria
author "Independent Company" (1953)
 

CITATION:

Military Cross : For outstanding courage, skill and leadership while serving with 2/2 Aust.Indep.Coy and LANCER FORCE in Portuguese TIMOR between Feb 42 and Jan 43. Always cheerful, cool and clear-thinking, this Officer was an inspiration to his men during nearly twelve months of guerilla fighting against vastly superior numbers of Japanese and hostile natives. His personal recces through enemy-occupied country, the valuable information he brought back and his skilful handling first of the Coy and then of the Force enabled severe casualties to be inflicted on the enemy and our resistance to be maintained for the maximum practicable period. When the force was ordered to evacuate, he skilfully disengaged it from contact with the enemy, led it for three days over mountains, across rivers and through swamps and embarked it without loss of personnel. He personally organized the final details of the evacuation and remained on the beach until the last boat left. Before commencing this evacuation he volunteered to remain in TIMOR to organize native resistance but was not permitted to do so.

WEB LINKS:

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7369201 (DSO)
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7368579 (MC)
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