John McCallum (badminton)

Last updated

John D. M. McCallum
John D. M. McCallum.jpg
McCallum at the 1923 Ireland versus England badminton match
Personal information
Birth nameJohn Dunwoodie Martin McCallum
CountryFlag of Ireland.svg  Ireland
Born2 September 1883
Belfast, Ireland
Died14 January 1967(1967-01-14) (aged 83)
Belfast

Major John Dunwoodie Martin McCallum DSO CBE also known as "the wee major" (2 September 1883 - 14 January 1967) was a Northern Irish soldier, resident magistrate, sportsman, sports administrator, and president of the International Badminton Federation. [1]

Contents

Early life and army career

McCallum was born in Belfast on 2 September 1883. His parents were Sarah Linden (née Martin) and John McCallum. [2] His father was financial secretary of the then national education board of Ireland and chief inspector of national schools. The family lived on University Square, Belfast. McCallum attended the Royal Academical Institution and Queen's University Belfast (QUB), from which he graduated in 1906. In 1910 he was admitted as a solicitor, and practised in Belfast. In 1915 he married Eveleen Lindsay (née Lloyd) of Belfast. [1]

He joined the Territorial Force in 1908, and was posted to the QUB officers' training corps. In 1911, he was promoted to captain, becoming captain and adjutant in the 8th (Service) Battalion (East Belfast), Royal Irish Rifles in 1914. As part of the 36th (Ulster) Division, McCallum was posted to France in 1915 during World War I. He was awarded a DSO for his part in the Battle of the Somme, and a Croix de Guerre in 1918. During the occupation of Cologne, he served as second-in-command of the 12th (Service) Battalion (Central Antrim), Royal Irish Rifles. After the war he was appointed the resident magistrate (RM) for County Clare in 1920, but left this position to become the commandant of the Royal Irish Constabulary camp at Newtownards, County Down from 1920 to 1922. In 1921 he was appointed CBE. From 1922 to 1943 he was RM in Newry, and later took up the same position in Belfast from 1943 until he retired in September 1953. [1]

Sporting career

McCallum with the Strollers, 1928 Strollers 1928.JPG
McCallum with the Strollers, 1928

McCallum was an accomplished sportsman in a number of sports. He played cricket for Ireland in 1910 as a wicket-keeper, and was a traillist for the international rugby team. He is most remembered for his badminton career, in which he played for Ireland 8 times in two different periods, in 1913 to 1914 and in 1920 to 1926. For 52 years he served as the secretary of the northern branch of the Badminton Union of Ireland, also serving as president, and later president of the International Badminton Federation in 1961 to 1963. He is credited with the development of badminton in Denmark. [1] [3]

McCallum died in Belfast on 14 January 1967. [1] He was entered into the Badminton Hall of Fame in 1997. [4]

Achievements

YearTournamentEventWinners
1927 Welsh International Men's doubles McCallum / Alan Titherley
1929 Irish Open Men's doubles McCallum / George Alan Thomas
1933 Dutch Open Men's doubles McCallum / F. L. Treasure

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">36th (Ulster) Division</span> Infantry division of the British Army during the First World War

The 36th (Ulster) Division was an infantry division of the British Army, part of Lord Kitchener's New Army, formed in September 1914. Originally called the Ulster Division, it was made up of mainly members of the Ulster Volunteer Force, who formed thirteen additional battalions for three existing regiments: the Royal Irish Fusiliers, the Royal Irish Rifles and the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. However, regular Officers and Soldiers and men from all around the United Kingdom made up the strength of the Division. The division served from October 1915 on Western Front as a formation of the British Army during the Great War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William McFadzean</span>

William Frederick McFadzean VC was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was posthumously awarded the VC for his actions on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme.

The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, usually just known as the Devon and Dorsets, was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1958 by the amalgamation of two county regiments, the Devonshire Regiment and the Dorset Regiment. In 2007 it was itself merged into The Rifles, a "large regiment". Members of the regiments referred to themselves as being a Janner.

The Royal Irish Rangers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army with a relatively short existence, formed in 1968 and later merged with the Ulster Defence Regiment in 1992 to form the Royal Irish Regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Regiment</span> Military unit

The Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Regiment was a Territorial Force unit of the New Zealand Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Ulster Rifles</span> British Army infantry regiment

The Royal Irish Rifles was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army, first created in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 83rd Regiment of Foot and the 86th Regiment of Foot. The regiment saw service in the Second Boer War, the First World War, the Second World War, and the Korean War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Irish Fusiliers</span> Former regiment of the British Army

The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's) was an Irish line infantry regiment of the British Army, formed by the amalgamation of the 87th (Prince of Wales's Irish) Regiment of Foot and the 89th (Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot in 1881. The regiment's first title in 1881 was Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers), changed in 1920 to the Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's). Between the time of its formation and Irish independence, it was one of eight Irish regiments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">107th (Ulster) Brigade</span> Military unit

The 107th Brigade, later 107th (Ulster) Brigade was an infantry formation of the British Army which saw service in the First World War. The brigade was later reformed during the Cold War and finally disbanded in 2006, following the drawdown of Operation Banner.

Sir Basil Alexander Talbot McFarland, 2nd Baronet, CBE, ERD was a Northern Irish soldier, businessman and Ulster Unionist Party politician.

Colonel Philip James Woods was an independent unionist politician in Northern Ireland, member of the Northern Ireland House of Commons. He was a colonel in the Royal Irish Rifles, seeing action on the Western Front in the First World War and in Karelia where he raised and led a local regiment during the Allied Intervention North Russia Russia. In Belfast he worked as a textile designer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Tyrrell (RAF officer)</span> Royal Air Force air marshal

Air Vice Marshal Sir William Tyrrell, was a rugby union international who played for Ireland and was part of the British & Irish Lions team that toured South Africa in 1910. He went on to have a successful career in the British Army and Royal Air Force and became the Honorary surgeon to the King in 1939.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Steele (British Army officer)</span> British Army general

General Sir James Stuart Steele was a senior British Army officer who served as Adjutant-General to the Forces.

Major-General Sir (William) James Norman Cooke-Collis, was General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland District.

The King's Birthday Honours 1923 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The appointments were made to celebrate the official birthday of The King. They were published on 1 and 29 June 1923.

The New Year Honours 1925 were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by members of the British Empire. They were published on 30 December 1924.

The King's Birthday Honours 1931 were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by members of the British Empire. The appointments were made to celebrate the official birthday of The King. They were published on 2 June 1931.

Albert Lewis Stewart, was an Irish rugby union player and decorated British Army officer. He played for North of Ireland Football Club from 1907 to 1914, and made three appearances for the Ireland national rugby union team. During World War I, he served in the Royal Irish Rifles and the Machine Gun Corps. He was killed in action in the Battle of Broodseinde during the Battle of Passchendaele.

The 1924 Birthday Honours were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the British Empire. The appointments were made to celebrate the official birthday of The King, and were published in The London Gazette on 3 June 1924.

The 1925 Birthday Honours were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the British Empire. The appointments were made to celebrate the official birthday of The King, and were published in The London Gazette on 3 June 1925.

The 1928 Birthday Honours were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the British Empire. The appointments were made to celebrate the official birthday of The King, and were published in The London Gazette on 4 June 1928.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Shanahan, Jim (2009). "McCallum, John Dunwoodie Martin". In McGuire, James; Quinn, James (eds.). Dictionary of Irish Biography . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  2. "Birth Register" (PDF). irishgenealogy.ie. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  3. Newman, Kate. "John D.M. McCallum (c.1900 - ): Sportsman". The Dictionary of Ulster Biography. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  4. "Maj J.D.M. McCallum CBE DSO | BWF Virtual Museum". bwfmuseum.isida.pro. Retrieved 14 November 2020.