Campbell, John Alexander

Lieutenant John Alexander Campbell – 12^th Battalion AIF

John Alexander Campbell was born in Spalding South Australia on the 18^th June 1888 to Malcolm & Jane Campbell. The family moved to Western Australia in the 1890’s and took up residence, firstly in the Kalgoorlie and Boulder region of the Goldfields and then in Alcester Gardens East Fremantle. 

After completing his education in Kalgoorlie, John took up an apprenticeship to become a chemist and was working as such when he enlisted into the AIF. On the 4^th September 1914 John went to the Perth recruitment office and offered his services. He was given a medical examination and was found to be 5 feet 9 inches in height; weight of 142 lbs; chest measurement of 36-38 inches; dark complexion; blue eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Presbyterian.

As the 11^th Battalion had been filled, John was assigned to H Company of the 12^th battalion as a Lance Corporal and assigned the regimental number 1009. The 12^th Battalion was a joint Tasmanian, South & West Australian unit. The WA section of the 12^th battalion embarked at Fremantle on the H.M.AT. “Medic” on the 2^nd November 1914. After arriving in Egypt, the 8 Companies were reduced to 4 with the result that the two WA Companies (G&H) became D Company. They set up camp at Mena near Cairo and trained there until March 1915.

In late March the 3^rd Brigade of which the 12^th Battalion were a part were transferred to Lemnos Island off the coast of Turkey in preparation for a landing on the Turkish coast. The 9^th, 10^th and 11^th Battalion would make the initial landing with the 12^th Battalion split up to support the other three battalions. D Company would be supporting the 11^th Battalion. At the landing on April 25^th D Company landed in the vicinity of North Beach and supported the 11^th Battalion as they advanced over the 2^nd Ridge. John Campbell suffered a bullet wound through the arm and was sent back to hospital in Egypt to recover. He returned to Gallipoli on the 22^nd June and rejoined his unit which was situated at the southern end of Anzac.

On the 1^st July 1915 he was promoted Corporal during which time the Battalion were positioned near Tasmania Post. In early August the 12^th Battalion was sent to support the 1^st Brigade’s assault at Lone Pine and helped to hold the gains that had been made. John survived the Lone Pine ordeal but on the 21^st August was sent to hospital ill. He was transferred to hospital at Mudros and on 24^th August was put on a ship for England for further treatment. On the 9^th September 1915 he was admitted to London Hospital with Influenza. It took some time to recover as John did not rejoin the 12^th Battalion until the 7^th January 1916. By then Gallipoli had been evacuated and the 12^th were back in Egypt. On the 23^rd January John was promoted to Sergeant and trained with the 12^th for the next few months.

On the 29^th March 1916 the Battalion embarked for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 5^th April 1916. The next few months would be spent in northern France gaining front line experience. The 12^th’s first major action was at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm during the Battle of the Somme. John survived these actions and was promoted to 2^nd Lieutenant, and on the 5^th November 1916 to Lieutenant. John had survived for 8 straight months in France and during the French winter, on the 22^nd January 1917 John was selected as a Town Major at Bresle France. He was in this position for some weeks, only rejoining the 12^th on the 3^rd March 1917.

On the 1^st April he attended a course at the Divisional School at Triancourt and rejoined the 12^th on the 2^nd May 1917 just in time for their actions at Bullecourt. He survived this action and the 1^st Division was soon to be rewarded with a few months of rest away from the front line.

On the 3^rd September 1917 John had a weeks leave in Paris and rejoined the 12^th in time for their role in the Third Battle of Ypres. The 12^th Battalion were involved in the advance on Menin Road on the 20^th September 1917 and John survived this and subsequent actions. On the 5^th October 1917 he joined the Anzac Corps School, returning to the 12^th on the 11^th November 1917. The 12^th Battalion was still in the lines holding part of the captured territory. On the 17^th November John was given leave to the UK, rejoining the 12^th on the 7^th December 1917.

On the 28^th December 1917 John was sharing a dugout with a Lieutenant P.T. Miller and Captain W.A. Connell of B Company when a German shell fell directly into their position, killing all three. John Campbell had survived the battles of Lone Pine, Pozieres, Mouquet Farm, Bullecourt and Ypres only to be killed by a lone shell on what the 12^th Battalion war diary called the quietest sector they had been in. John was buried in Kandahar Farm Cemetery Belgium in plot II.H.5.