Wikipedia:WikiProject Military history/Assessment/Bill McCann


 * The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Article promoted by Ian Rose (talk) via MilHistBot (talk) 06:04, 14 August 2017 (UTC) &laquo; Return to A-Class review list

Bill McCann

 * Nominator(s): 

Bill McCann was a decorated South Australian soldier of WWI who became a barrister and went on to lead the Returned and Services League in South Australia for seven years during the interwar period. He was also the state prices commissioner from 1938–1954, and nearly had his house burned down as a result of his anti-blackmarketeering work. He was awarded the OBE and CMG for his services to the veteran community. This article recently went through a comprehensive GA review which resulted in significant improvements, and I am keen to see what else can be done to tighten it up. Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 00:45, 2 August 2017 (UTC)

Support: I reviewed this article for GA and, having examined the edits made since then, am satisfied that it also meets the A-Class criteria. Well done. Cheers, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 06:43, 9 August 2017 (UTC)

Support: Looks good.
 * "before being seconded to a training battalion in the United Kingdom in late December." It was the 1st Training Battalion on 30 December 1917. He was posted to the 2nd Training Battalion on 1 January, and returned to the 1st on 25 April 1918.
 * I thought it was unnecessary to state which units, just that he was in a training role in the UK during that period.


 * "While serving in the AIF he had been appointed an honorary major in the peacetime army, the Citizen Military Forces (CMF)." Members of the AIF were entitled to retain their AIF rank as an honorary rank in the AMF. So he wore the rank badges of a major, and everyone called him "major", but he was only paid according to his substantive rank. Conservative politicians thought that this saved the government money. McCann was not an officer before the war; he was appointed a major in the Reserve of Officers on 1 October 1920, having been an honorary major since 21 October 1918. McCann became a major in the AIF in 1918, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1927; whereas a regular officer like, say, Alan Vasey was promoted to major in the AIF in 1917, and to lieutenant colonel in 1937.
 * So, have I got that wrong? Was it the AMF rather than the CMF at that time? I'm not sure what I need to do here.
 * No, it's fine. The CMF was part of the AMF at the time. I was trying to decide whether you made it sound exceptional, when it was everybody.  Hawkeye7   (talk)  01:09, 12 August 2017 (UTC)
 * Made some minor tweaks.  Hawkeye7   (talk)  00:07, 12 August 2017 (UTC)
 * Thanks, looks good. I think there is a bit of variation on bar and Bar, but I'm happy to go with the flow. Just checking if I need to address anything? Cheers, Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 00:29, 12 August 2017 (UTC)
 * No. It's all fine.  Hawkeye7   (talk)  01:10, 12 August 2017 (UTC)

Support This is a very impressive article, and I think that the A-class criteria are met. I have only a single comment:
 * "His only pre-war military experience was four years in the volunteer cadets. While training as a teacher he was a member of the University of Adelaide rifle club" - this is a bit unclear, as rifle clubs of this era were quasi-military organisations which did a lot more than just practice marksmanship. They were effectively semi-trained reserve military units in many cases. The military aspect of the clubs seems to have been particularly strong in SA during the era McCann participated in one: (also, should it be "University of Adelaide Rifle Club"?). Nick-D (talk) 07:56, 13 August 2017 (UTC)
 * Thanks very much. I joined the sentences with an "although", and capitalised the Rifle Club. Does that address this comment? Cheers, Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 09:31, 13 August 2017 (UTC)
 * Not entirely, as the 'only pre-war military experience' doesn't really work with the 'although'. Nick-D (talk) 10:02, 13 August 2017 (UTC)
 * See what you think now. Unless you have a suggestion? Cheers, Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 10:05, 13 August 2017 (UTC)
 * Looks good - I've tweaked it a bit for flow, but of course please revert if you prefer the earlier version. Nick-D (talk) 11:01, 13 August 2017 (UTC)

This one is progressing well, would you mind looking at the image licensing? Thanks, Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 09:53, 13 August 2017 (UTC)

Images are appropriately licensed. Nikkimaria (talk) 12:40, 13 August 2017 (UTC)


 * The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.