Roderick McCaskill

Roderick McCaskill

Personal Information
Date of Birth	1 Nov 1895
Place of Birth	Pullenvale, Queensland
Death	23 Jun 1986, aged 90
Place of Death	Glendalough, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	19 Yeas, 11 months
Description	6½" (1.69m) tall ; 123 lbs 55.792 kg ; dark complexion ; grey eyes ; dark hair
Occupation	Labourer
Religion	Presbyterian
Address	Pickering Brook, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Roderick McCaskill
Military Information
Reg Number	1902
Date of Enlistment	12 Oct 1915
Rank	Driver
Unit/Formation	10th Light Horse Regiment, 13th Reinforcements, transferred to 4th Division Artillery Column, then 12th Field Artillery Brigade.
Date of Embarkation	17 Jan 1916 ‒ 9 Feb 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A30 Borda
Date of Return	16 Jan 1919 ‒ 22 Feb 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A64 Demosthenes
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Kelmscott War Memorial (South panel) Roleystone Honour Board
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

Following basic training Rod was allocated to the 13th reinforcement draft for the 10th Light Horse Regiment, and he travelled with them to Egypt. Soon after arriving in Egypt he was caught up in the Army restructure and was transferred to the 4th Division Artillery then forming in Heliopolis. In Apr 1916, he joined the 4th Division Ammunition Column's Section 3 which was then training at Serapeum. From 16 - 19 May 1916 he received treatment at a Field Ambulance for an unknown infection.

Mustered as a temporary Driver on 24 May 1916, his unit proceeded on 6 Jun 1916 aboard SS Oriana from Alexandria to Marseilles, arriving there on 13 Jun 1916. Soon after arrival in France his temporary Driver status was confirmed when he was transferred on 28 Jan 1917 to the 12th Field Artillery Brigade's Ammunition Column.

In Nov 1917 he spent 3 weeks away from his unit in hospital. On 24 Sep 1918 he was granted leave in the UK, and soon after its completion he reported to the 6th General Hospital in Rouen with boils (Illness reported on Casualty List 450). Roderick was sent back to the UK on 28 Oct 1918 on the HMHS Gloucester Castle, and he was admitted to the War Hospital at Exeter until 28 Nov 1918 when he was granted furlough before being one of the first sent home. He was discharged by the 5th Military District on 12 Apr 1919.

Post War

In 1930 Rod married Zelma Donovan. Zelma died 15 Dec 1973 in Glendalough.

Electoral Roll entries - 1925 Roderick junior was a timber worker living in Karragullen; 1934 - 1936 they are at Barton's Mill, Pickering Brook and by 1943 they have moved to Jarrahwood (mill hand). In 1949 - 54 they are in Augusta with Rod working as a labourer, and by 1958 they have moved again to 96 Canning Highway, South Perth, before living at 24 Henry street, Subiaco between 1963 - 68. In 1972 they were living with the Sisters of the Poor in Glendalough.

During WW2 Rod served in the 5th Battalion Volunteer Defence Cops from 2 May 1942 with Regimental No W86067.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial