William Callaway was born in Tavistock, Devon and served as a Boy 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. Minden at Algiers on 27 Aug 1816.
Callaway then served aboard Chameleon, Apollo, Royal George, Ramilles, Talaveraa, Caledonia, Malabar, Implacable and finally Rodney, discharged on 31 Mar 1840 after nearly 25 years service.