The AIF Project

George Henry CAMPBELL

Regimental number537
Place of birthCasino, New South Wales
SchoolTheresa Creed Casino District Public School, New South Wales
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationLabourer
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation21
Weight147.75 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs Mary Elizabeth Campbell, Dobies Bight, Casino, New South Wales
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date29 December 1915
Place of enlistmentWarwick, Queensland
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name42nd Battalion, C Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/59/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A30 Borda on 5 June 1916
Rank from Nominal RollLance Corporal
Unit from Nominal Roll42nd Battalion
FateKilled in Action 8 August 1918
Place of death or woundingSomme, France
Age at death23
Age at death from cemetery records23
Place of burialNo known Grave
Commemoration detailsAustralian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France

Villers-Bretonneux is a village about 15 km east of Amiens. The Memorial stands on the high ground ('Hill 104') behind the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Fouilloy, which is about 2 km north of Villers-Bretonneux on the east side of the road to Fouilloy.

The Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux is approached through the Military Cemetery, at the end of which is an open grass lawn which leads into a three-sided court. The two pavilions on the left and right are linked by the north and south walls to the back (east) wall, from which rises the focal point of the Memorial, a 105 foot tall tower, of fine ashlar. A staircase leads to an observation platform, 64 feet above the ground, from which further staircases lead to an observation room. This room contains a circular stone tablet with bronze pointers indicating the Somme villages whose names have become synonymous with battles of the Great War; other battle fields in France and Belgium in which Australians fought; and far beyond, Gallipoli and Canberra.

On the three walls, which are faced with Portland stone, are the names of 10,885 Australians who were killed in France and who have no known grave. The 'blocking course' above them bears the names of the Australian Battle Honours.

After the war an appeal in Australia raised £22,700, of which £12,500 came from Victorian school children, with the request that the majority of the funds be used to build a new school in Villers-Bretonneux. The boys' school opened in May 1927, and contains an inscription stating that the school was the gift of Victorian schoolchildren, twelve hundred of whose fathers are buried in the Villers-Bretonneux cemetery, with the names of many more recorded on the Memorial. Villers-Bretonneux is now twinned with Robinvale, Victoria, which has in its main square a memorial to the links between the two towns.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
135
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Joseph and Mary CAMPBELL, Casino, New South Wales
Family/military connectionsBrother: 1078 Pte Samual David CAMPBELL, 11th Light Trench Mortar Battery, killed in action, 20 February 1917.
Other details

War service: Western Front

Embarked Sydney, 5 June 1916.

Found guilty, at sea, 15 June 1916, of conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in that he absented himself from duty without permission: awarded 10 days' confined to barracks.

Disembarked Southampton, England, 23 July 1916.

Proceeded overseas to France, 25 November 1916.

Found guilty, Armentieres, 10 December 1916, of losing by neglect one box respirator: award, admonished, and to pay 12/6 for loss.

Tried by Field General Court Martial, 21 December 1916, on charge of while on active service, using insubordinate language to his superior officer; found Guilty: award, to forfeit all ordinary pay for a period of 40 days; sentence commuted by General Officer Commanding, 31 December 1916, and to forfeit 14 days' ordinary pay.

Admitted to No 10 Australian Field Ambulance, 29 December 1916, and transferred to No 7 General Hospital, St Omer, the same day (mumps); discharged, 20 January 1917; rejoined 42nd Bn, 24 January 1917.

Wounded in action, 9 June 1917; admitted to No 9 Australian Field Ambulance, 10 June 1917 (gunshot wound, buttock); transferred to No Casualty Clearing Station, no date stated; to No 1 Australian General Hospital, Rouen, 14 June 1917; to England, 14 June 1917; to Tooting Military Hospital, 15 June 1917 (gunshot wounds, right leg and left thigh); to Grove Military Hospital, 4 August 1917.

Found guilty, 19 August 1917, of being absent without leave from 1900 hours, until 2010 hours, 18 August 1917: award, forfeits 1 day's pay.

To No 3 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, 21 August 1917; discharged to furlough, 24 August 1917, and to report to No 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, 7 September 1917.

Marched into No 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, 22 September 1917.

Found guilty, 22 September 1917, of (1) being absent without leave from 1530 hours, 7 September 1917, until 1530 hours, 21 September 1917; (2) losing by neglect his pass: awarded 13 days' Field Punishment No 2, and total forfeiture of 30 days' pay.

Classified 'B1A3', 27 September 1917.

Classified 'A3', 15 October 1917.

Marched into Overseas Training Bde, Longbridge Deverill, 20 October 1917.

Marched into 9th Training Bn, 28 November 1917.

On Command at Group Signal School, Fovant, 1 December 1917.

Found guilty, 15 February 1918, of being absent without leave from 2400 hours, 12 February 1918, until 1630 hours, 14 February 1918; awarded 7 days' Field Punishment No 2, and total forfeiture of 9 days' pay.

Marched into 9th Training Bn from 3rd Division Signal School, 27 March 1918.

Proceeded overseas to France, 31 March 1918; marched into Australian Intermediate Base Depot, Rouelles, 1 April 1918.

Proceeded to unit, 5 April 1918; rejoined 42nd Bn, 21 April 1918.

Killed in action, 8 August 1918.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, CAMPBELL George Henry

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