CAMPBELL, John McNeil

John Campbell was born in Melbourne in 1897. His father was the Victorian Manager of the London Bank,  based at 90 Bourke Street, Melbourne, and John lived at this address.

He enlisted on the 30 September 1914 and entered his age as 19 years, six months. He was in fact only 17. It appears there may have been some doubt about his age from the recruiting staff as the enlistment form is counter signed at the bottom by his mother giving her consent for him to enlist.

He is listed as a bank clerk,  living with his mother in Simpson Street, East Melbourne.

After a spell at Broadmeadows, he embarked on the SS Chilka A51 on the 2 Feb 1915 ex Melbourne.

He proceeded to the Dardanelles and joined his unit in Lemnos on the 11 August 1915.

Suffered gun shot wound to right arm at Anzac Cove on the 18 September 1915 and shipped on hospital ship SS Maheno to Military hospital in Malta, where he was admitted on the 2 October 1915. He rejoined his unit from Heliopolis on the 18 January 1916.  They were then on duty in the Suez zone and Middle East.

John Campbell suffered a cardiac arrest and was admitted to hospital on the 29 October 1916. He was discharged on the 3 November 1916. It appears he was considered to be returned to Australia, however it does not seem that this happened . Instead, he travelled with his unit to Sinai. He was appointed Lance Corporal on the 4 December 1916, and  Corporal on the 19 Jan 1917.

At Deir el Belah, during the first battle of Gaza, he was badly wounded by a bomb on the 4 May 1917 with serious wound to left leg and thigh, causing him to be evacuated and admitted to the 14th AGH in Eygpt on 8 May.

John Campbell returned to Australia for discharge on 11 July, 1917,  on the SS Port Sydney via Suez. He arrived in Melbourne on the SS Beltana, and was discharged on the 18 January 1918. He was granted a War Pension of 68 shillings a fortnight on the 19 January, 1918, evidence that his injuries were permanent. He was living with his mother, Louise, at 111 Simpson street East Melbourne in 1924 and is listed as a Secretary. At some point he moved to Queensland and after a very successful career as a Director of several companies.

John McNeil Campbell died in 1964. His son Dr. John Campbell applied for the Gallipoli medal in 1967.