Paul Brian Callus 

Paul was born on January 10th 1958 at Gillingham, in Kent. He was the youngest of the three sons of Brian and June Callus; his brothers are Peter John and Stephen Victor.

Paul inherited a very strong military tradition in his family. His grandfather, Victor John Callus, started out in the infantry (The Royal Welch Fusiliers), but in 1913 transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, eventually retiring from the Royal Air Force in 1931. Brian Callus, his father, also had a long and distinguished career, joining the RN in 1940 as an Electrical Artificer Apprentice, and retiring thirty-four years later in the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

Paul was educated at St John’s College in Southsea, next to Portsmouth. He wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, so entered the Royal Navy as an artificer apprentice at HMS Fisgard in Cornwall, during the autumn of 1974. He advanced steadily in his branch, serving in various shore establishments until he was drafted to the guided missile destroyer, HMS Bristol. During a port visit to Charleston, Virginia, he met and fell in love with Cynthia Humphrey, whom he married at Salem, Virginia, just after Christmas 1980. On return to the UK, Paul was appointed to the Type 42 destroyer HMS Coventry, which was ordered to the South Atlantic on April 2nd 1982.

It was in this gallant and effective warship that Paul Callus was to give his life for freedom and democracy. While operating some ten miles north of Pebble Island, on the afternoon of May 25th 1982, HMS Coventry was struck by three 1,000 lb. Argentine bombs that all detonated within her hull. She capsized and sank within an hour.

Paul’s widow was living in England, but then returned to America. There were no children resulting from their short but happy union, although in addition to his surviving relatives, three nephews (Benjamin/85, Andrew/88 and Nicholas/90) and a niece (Felicity/88) can now be proud of everything that their uncle lived and died for.