Victor William Caiger

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Wed, 24/08/2016 - 11:09

First Name:

Victor

Middle Name:

William

Last Name:

Caiger

Mother's Name:

Eva Caiger nee Green

Father's Name:

Harry Caiger

Date Enlisted:

Wednesday, June 9, 1915

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Lieutenant

Unit:

Machine Gun Battalion

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

1914/1915 Star

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Tuesday, May 27, 1969

Place of Death:

Sydney

Details:

Victor Caiger (Service No 2387) was born in Helensburgh, N.S.W. in 1897 and attended Thirroul Public School.

At enlistment Victor was single, 18 years old, worked as a farmer, and lived at Clifton,N.S.W.

He embarked from Sydney on HMAT A67 Orsova with 7th Reinforcements, 3rd Battalion on 14th July 1915. After arriving in Egypt he was sent to Gallipoli and landed there on 2nd September and served until the evacuation.

He arrived in France on 29th March 1916 and served on the Western Front with 3rd Battalion until 25th March 1917 when he was sent to Officer School in England. Victor had been promoted to Corporal on 7th January 1917.

On 2nd April 1917 he was posted to 1st Machine Gun Battalion as a 2nd Lieutenant and was serving at Passchendaele on 3rd October 1917 when he was wounded and evacuated to hospital in England for treatment of a severe gun shot wound to his chest and right arm.

On 25th November 1917 Victor was promoted to Lieutenant but was unable to return to the front.

He was returned to Australia in February 1918 and discharged medically unfit on 18th July 1918.

On his return Victor became a storekeeper. On 27th November 1923 he married Olive Barnett. He enjoyed playing billiards in his spare time and eventually moved to Sydney where he died in 1969.

Victor is commemorated on the Thirroul Public School Roll of Honour.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, CAIGER V W