Rank: Major
Servicet: Royal Air Force, 87th Squadron.
Secondary Regiment: and 7th Bn. Royal Munster Fusiliers
Awards: Military Cross
Died: 2nd July 1918
(CWGC)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph was born in 1893. The family home was in Dublin. He studied at Belvedere College, Dublin and then Stonyhurst School in Lancashire.
He was living in Texas when war was declared and returned home immediately to enlist. In January 1915 he was commissioned into the 7th Battalion of The Royal Munster Fusiliers.
In September 1915 he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. He joined 18 Squadron. For his actions flying night bombing missions he was awarded the Military Cross.
In 1917 he instructed at No 2 School for Ariel Gunnery at Turnberry in Scotland. It was during his time there that he earned the epithet "Mad Major" for his love of stunt flying.
He was given command of 87 Squadron in January 1918. The unit flew the Sopwith Dolphin. He had been wounded twice during his combat flying but his luck ran out on 2nd July when he was shot down and killed by Leutnant Franz Buchner of Jasta 13.
A letter to his parents reported that "Captain Maxwell of 56 Squadron saw one machine fighting about twenty five Germans, but the machine was hit before he could arrive close enough. I am afraid there is no doubt as to who was the pilot of that machine. He was so absurdly gallant, and so absolutely without any idea of fear, that he would cheerfully take on any kind of odds. We had all implored him not to go about by himself and run such risks, but I don't think he realised that he could ever find a Hun or any number of Huns that he wasn't a match for".
He had been credited with destroying three enemy aircraft and for sending two others down out of control.
Major Joseph Creuss Callaghan MC is buried in Contay British Cemetery, France.
Joseph had two brothers that were both killed flying with the RFC during the war.
(Contributor: THR - Find a Grave ID 48277533)
Servicet: Royal Air Force, 87th Squadron.
Secondary Regiment: and 7th Bn. Royal Munster Fusiliers
Awards: Military Cross
Died: 2nd July 1918
(CWGC)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph was born in 1893. The family home was in Dublin. He studied at Belvedere College, Dublin and then Stonyhurst School in Lancashire.
He was living in Texas when war was declared and returned home immediately to enlist. In January 1915 he was commissioned into the 7th Battalion of The Royal Munster Fusiliers.
In September 1915 he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. He joined 18 Squadron. For his actions flying night bombing missions he was awarded the Military Cross.
In 1917 he instructed at No 2 School for Ariel Gunnery at Turnberry in Scotland. It was during his time there that he earned the epithet "Mad Major" for his love of stunt flying.
He was given command of 87 Squadron in January 1918. The unit flew the Sopwith Dolphin. He had been wounded twice during his combat flying but his luck ran out on 2nd July when he was shot down and killed by Leutnant Franz Buchner of Jasta 13.
A letter to his parents reported that "Captain Maxwell of 56 Squadron saw one machine fighting about twenty five Germans, but the machine was hit before he could arrive close enough. I am afraid there is no doubt as to who was the pilot of that machine. He was so absurdly gallant, and so absolutely without any idea of fear, that he would cheerfully take on any kind of odds. We had all implored him not to go about by himself and run such risks, but I don't think he realised that he could ever find a Hun or any number of Huns that he wasn't a match for".
He had been credited with destroying three enemy aircraft and for sending two others down out of control.
Major Joseph Creuss Callaghan MC is buried in Contay British Cemetery, France.
Joseph had two brothers that were both killed flying with the RFC during the war.
(Contributor: THR - Find a Grave ID 48277533)
Rank: Major
Servicet: Royal Air Force, 87th Squadron.
Secondary Regiment: and 7th Bn. Royal Munster Fusiliers
Awards: Military Cross
Died: 2nd July 1918
(CWGC)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph was born in 1893. The family home was in Dublin. He studied at Belvedere College, Dublin and then Stonyhurst School in Lancashire.
He was living in Texas when war was declared and returned home immediately to enlist. In January 1915 he was commissioned into the 7th Battalion of The Royal Munster Fusiliers.
In September 1915 he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. He joined 18 Squadron. For his actions flying night bombing missions he was awarded the Military Cross.
In 1917 he instructed at No 2 School for Ariel Gunnery at Turnberry in Scotland. It was during his time there that he earned the epithet "Mad Major" for his love of stunt flying.
He was given command of 87 Squadron in January 1918. The unit flew the Sopwith Dolphin. He had been wounded twice during his combat flying but his luck ran out on 2nd July when he was shot down and killed by Leutnant Franz Buchner of Jasta 13.
A letter to his parents reported that "Captain Maxwell of 56 Squadron saw one machine fighting about twenty five Germans, but the machine was hit before he could arrive close enough. I am afraid there is no doubt as to who was the pilot of that machine. He was so absurdly gallant, and so absolutely without any idea of fear, that he would cheerfully take on any kind of odds. We had all implored him not to go about by himself and run such risks, but I don't think he realised that he could ever find a Hun or any number of Huns that he wasn't a match for".
He had been credited with destroying three enemy aircraft and for sending two others down out of control.
Major Joseph Creuss Callaghan MC is buried in Contay British Cemetery, France.
Joseph had two brothers that were both killed flying with the RFC during the war.
(Contributor: THR - Find a Grave ID 48277533)
Servicet: Royal Air Force, 87th Squadron.
Secondary Regiment: and 7th Bn. Royal Munster Fusiliers
Awards: Military Cross
Died: 2nd July 1918
(CWGC)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph was born in 1893. The family home was in Dublin. He studied at Belvedere College, Dublin and then Stonyhurst School in Lancashire.
He was living in Texas when war was declared and returned home immediately to enlist. In January 1915 he was commissioned into the 7th Battalion of The Royal Munster Fusiliers.
In September 1915 he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. He joined 18 Squadron. For his actions flying night bombing missions he was awarded the Military Cross.
In 1917 he instructed at No 2 School for Ariel Gunnery at Turnberry in Scotland. It was during his time there that he earned the epithet "Mad Major" for his love of stunt flying.
He was given command of 87 Squadron in January 1918. The unit flew the Sopwith Dolphin. He had been wounded twice during his combat flying but his luck ran out on 2nd July when he was shot down and killed by Leutnant Franz Buchner of Jasta 13.
A letter to his parents reported that "Captain Maxwell of 56 Squadron saw one machine fighting about twenty five Germans, but the machine was hit before he could arrive close enough. I am afraid there is no doubt as to who was the pilot of that machine. He was so absurdly gallant, and so absolutely without any idea of fear, that he would cheerfully take on any kind of odds. We had all implored him not to go about by himself and run such risks, but I don't think he realised that he could ever find a Hun or any number of Huns that he wasn't a match for".
He had been credited with destroying three enemy aircraft and for sending two others down out of control.
Major Joseph Creuss Callaghan MC is buried in Contay British Cemetery, France.
Joseph had two brothers that were both killed flying with the RFC during the war.
(Contributor: THR - Find a Grave ID 48277533)
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