| Regimental number | 5618 |
| Place of birth | Thornhill, Scotland |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
| Occupation | Station overseer |
| Address | c/o Woodlands, Narromine, New South Wales |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 29 |
| Next of kin | Mother, Mrs Isobel McCall, Dunaverly, Bank Street, Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland |
| Previous military service | Nil |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Dubbo, New South Wales |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 20th Battalion, 15th Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/37/3 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A14 Euripides on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Lance Corporal |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 20th Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of burial | Canadian Cemetery No 2 (Plot 12, Row D, Grave No 9), Neuville-St Vaast, Pas de Calais, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 91 |
| Other details |
War service: Western Front Embarked Sydney, 9 September 1916; disembarked Plymouth, England, 26 October 1916. Proceeded overseas to France, 13 December 1916; joined 20th Bn, in the field, 26 January 1917. Appointed Lance Corporal, 8 February 1917. Reported missing, believed killed by the explosion of a mine, 25 March 1917. Court of Enquiry, 13 October 1917, concluded: 'Killed in action, 25 March 1917'. Statement, Red Cross File, 4520 Corporal L.H. SPARKS, 20th Bn (patient, St John's Hospital), 7 May 1917: 'He was on the Town Major's staff and after they had taken up their quarters at the Town Hall, Bapaume, about two days, it was blown up and he was killed. We returned there a few days later. I do not know if his body was recovered but if so his grave would be in the Bapaume cemetery. He was Scotch, short, sandy, 25-28.' Second statement, 5411 Pte C.G. SMITHEN, C Company, 20th Bn, 20 May 1917; 'They [McCALL, 5293 AKHURST, 5424 A.E. BEATTIE] were killed by an explostion of a mine underneath the Town Hall at Bethune and were buried there. Their bodies were never recovered.' Originally listed as 'No known grave'; remains discovered in 1930. Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, McCALL John Dickson
Red Cross File No 1880902S |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
