Campbell: Neil
The eldest son of Allan and Florence Campbell, Neil was born on 11th September 1882 and educated at St. Peter’s College, Adelaide and then the University of Adelaide.
He saw action in the South Africa as a 1st Lieutenant in the 2nd Imperial Bushmen’s Corp. during 1901-02.
Neil stood 5’9” (175cm) tall and weighed 11stone (70kg). A Mining Engineer, he married Kathleen Gordon on 23rd May 1914. That was just seven months before he enlisted as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 10th Light Horse Regiment on 28th December.
On 29th May 1915 while serving at Gallipoli, Neil was wounded by rifle-fire and suffered shellshock from a bomb explosion.
He was wounded again on the 3rd May 1917 while serving in France and this cost him the sight in his right eye. He refused to be discharged and remained on duty with the 3rd Tunnelling Company, Australian Imperial Force.
On 10th April 1918 his company came under enemy shellfire and Neil’s luck ran out. His body was not recovered as German soldiers were advancing rapidly.
At a subsequent Court of Enquiry, numerous men from his Company gave evidence regarding Neil’s death. The finding was that he was missing, presumed Killed-in-Action with no known grave.
Neil Campbell is listed amongst the missing on the Australian War Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France, and is included in the list of the fallen on Blackwood War Memorial.
Research by Geoff Lock, 2015
