Captain P. I. Callary, AIF Clicking on Photo will return to Page C - D

CALLARY Captain Philip Ignatius Officer Commanding B Sqn., 9th Light Horse Regiment, Australian Imperial Force Born 21st July 1886, in Petersburg (now Petersborough), South Australia. Educated: Christian Brothers College, Adelaide, SA. Single; General Storekeeper, of Petersburg, South Australia. Next Of Kin: Father; Philip Aloysius Callary. Mother; Margaret Matilda Callary, of Petersburg, South Australia / Grange, South Australia. Despite 16 years of research, no photo is known to exist of Captain Callary. This is incredible, as he was an original officer of the 9th Light Horse, no photo of whom, as a group, has been located. Should anyone have information on where we might find a photo of Captain Callary, or of the officers of the 9th Light Horse, we would be most grateful.

2nd Lieut. [AIF] 1 Nov 1914. Lieut. 16 Jan 1915. Captain 1 Jun 1915. Embarked 11 Feb 1915. Joined AIF 10 Sep 1914. Previously 22nd [sic] LHR AMF [actually 24th LHR]. (AWM 131).

Commissioned 31 March 1913 as 2nd Lieutenant, OC 'C' Troop, 'B' Sqn (Jamestown - Petersburg - Orroroo - Broken Hill), 24th (Flinders) Light Horse.

Previously commanded, as a 2nd Lieutenant, the 24th Light Horse Regiment, South Australia. Nicknamed 'Naish'. Promoted captain in Egypt. Only son, born and raised in Petersborough, South Australia. (Adelaide Observer 18 Sep 1915 p40).

Embarked aboard HMAT A10, 'Karoo' on 11 Feb 1915.

Killed during the night attack on Hill 60:
'At 11:30 Major Parsons with fifty men was guided to 'D' with instructions to bomb up the trench towards 'C,' while Colonel Reynell and Captains Jaffray and Callary, Lieutenant McDonald, and seventy-five men were taken to the trench originally captured by the New Zealanders and directed to move across the open to the New Zealand position in Trench '2'.' The attack veered in the wrong direction, and: 'A fierce fire was opened upon the party and bombs were thrown. The troops were consequently driven, or directed themselves, to the Turkish trench near 'Y'... It was afterwards reported that those who now occupied it were caught by a Turkish machine-gun which had been placed at 'C' so as to sweep the trench.' (Bean Vol. 2 p754-5)

'At a given signal the whole force rushed into the open to carry out their desperate venture, but were met by a terrible fire from machine gun, rifle and bomb. Cheering loudly, the gallant party rushed across the open and into the heart of the enemy, where hand-to-hand fighting was soon general. Our losses had, however, been extremely heavy, and the force was gradually driven back to its own lines, leaving the greater part of its number dead on the field, the following officers being amongst the slain: Lieut. Col. Carew Reynell, Captain Jaffrey, and Captain Callery [sic].
This was a sad blow to the Regiment, especially the loss of their gallant Colonel, an officer and a gentleman of the best type, a splendid soldier and born leader...
Desperate efforts were made to recover the bodies of our dead comrades, and during the night several were brought in, including those of Colonel Reynell and Captain Jaffrey...
We buried poor Reynell and Jaffrey under the trees on the far side of our little gully, and had just concluded the service when the enemy, who had evidently seen us from their observation post on Hill 971, opened a very heavy shell fire on our position.' (Darley p19 - 20).

Reported 'Missing'. 'Missing for over 3 months. Struck off Strength 27 Jan 1916.' Finally judged to have been killed in action by a Court of Enquiry held at Broadhead, Serapeum, Egypt, on 26 Apr 1916. (Record of Services in the Field and Proceedings of Court of Enquiry).

'Witness states that the Connaught Rangers took a trench on Hill 60 on August 26th, but could not hold it. On August 27th the 9th Light Horse were sent to try to retake it but failed. The trench was eventually taken by the 10th Light Horse on the 28th.
Capt. Callary went out with his regiment on the 9th [sic], but never returned. The witness made careful enquiries at the time, but failed to hear anything of him and gathered that he had been killed.
Ref: Sgt/Major Cairnduff, 571, 3rd Signal Troop 3rd Light Horse Bde. Mena House.
[signed] A.T. Lloyd, Cairo, 2 Nov 1915.'

'Informant gives result of local regimental enquiry. Informant was acting Staff Sergeant at the time. Hill 60, we were taking trenches and bombing our way along them. Sergt. Major O.J. Shaw deposed that the last seen of Capt. Callary was in a trench which we were bombing from left to right. Capt. Callary went off by himself to the left, where he should have been quite safe.
Never seen again and no satisfactory explanation can be offered. He may have got round a corner into a Turk sap and been taken prisoner or killed, or he may have got out in the open and been killed there, in which case the body is burnt, as hundreds were destroyed deliberately that way by incendiary bombs. Informant very anxious that this information should be strictly confidential. Whole affair very curious.'
(Red Cross statement, St. Elmo, Malta, 18 Oct 1915. Informant C. Williams 593 S.Q.M.S. 9 A.L.H).