Hi All,
Douglas CASWELL Regimental number 397 Place of birth Worcester, England Religion Church of England Occupation Butcher Address Mitchell Street, Stockton, Newcastle, New South Wales
Marital status Single Age at embarkation 21 Height 5' 8.5" Weight 126 lbs Next of kin Father, Eberon Caswell, Mitchell Street, Stockton, Newcastle, New South Wales Previous military service Nil ('resided outside Military District') Enlistment date 16 July 1915 Place of enlistment Liverpool, New South Wales
Rank on enlistment Private Unit name 30th Battalion, B Company AWM Embarkation Roll number 23/47/1
Embarkation details Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A72 Beltana on 9 November 1915 Rank from Nominal Roll Private Unit from Nominal Roll 30th Battalion
Fate Killed in Action 20 July 1916 Place of burial No known grave Commemoration details V.C. Corner (Panel No 2), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial 115 Other details War service: Egypt, Western Front Embarked Sydney, 9 November 1915; disembarked Suez, 11 December 1915. Admitted to 2nd Australian Stationary hospital, Tel el Kebir, 12 March 1916 (diptheria); discharged to unit, 23 March 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, 23 June 1916.
Missing, 20 July 1916. 'Identification Disc received from Germany. No particulars were afforded except that Soldier was deceased. May now be reported "KILLED IN ACTION" 20/7/16.'
Red Cross File No 710210 has statement from 792 Pte A.C. WALKER, 28 August 1916: 'I knew Caswell; his initial was D. He was in the original Bn. and he was in B.V. No. 1 Section. I saw him lying wounded in No Man's Land on 19.7.16 at Fleurbaix, between 8 and 9 p.m. This was in the 4th. wave and he and I were carrying ammunition. He was hit in the hip and leg and could not get up but rolled into a shell hole and had to be left. 2 of my mates and I went back to where we left him and although I am perfectly sure that we found the place where we had left him the shell hole was then filled in. I feel quite sure that he must have been killed and buried and not taken prisoner.'
Second statement, 2157 Pte C.F. SIMPSON (patient, Lakenham Hospital, Norwich, England), 3 January 1917: 'Informant states that on July 19th. 1916 at Fluerbaix (sic) he saw Caswell killed by Machine Gun, he does not think he was buried, he fell in No Man's Land.'
Red Cross File p. 12: copy of statement from Central Enquiry Office, Royal Prussian War Office: 'Identity disc [of CASWELL, D.] handed in by left property office Army Corps 6 on 12.10.16.'
The above name appeared on German death list dated 4-11-16.'
Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal Sources NAA: B2455, CASWELL Douglas
Red Cross file 710210
http://www.aif.adfa.edu.au:8080/showPerson?pid=48932LEST WE FORGET
