Pte
Willie Edmund Campion
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1892 |
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Place of birth: Minlaton, South Australia, Australia |
General information
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Profession: Stonemason |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 2051 |
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Enlistment date: 31/12/1914 |
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Enlistment place: Oaklands, South Australia, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 10th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 08/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Celtic Wood, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 25 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 17 F |
Distinctions and medals 3
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1914-15 Star Medal |
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Private Willie Edmund Campion was 22 years old when he enlisted in the Australian Army on the last day of 1914. The former mason lived in Curramulka, South Australia. He was assigned to the 10th Battalion A.I.F. part of the 3rd Australian Brigade, 1st Australian Division.
On 20 April 1915 he left Australia together with his older brother Gerald Gordon who was in the same company. He was taken back to England after being wounded in Gallipoli and rejoined the reinforcements in Egypt before arriving in France. Willie was wounded at Pozieres (gunshot wound to the side and left shoulder) during July 1916, and sent to England again, where he re-mained for 11 months before rejoining his battalion in France. From there it went to Belgium in the summer/autumn of 1917.
On 9th October 1917 in the Battle of Poelcapelle, part of the Battle of Passchendaele, the 10th Battalion A.I.F. were to raid Celtic Wood. The raid was unsuccessful. Private Willie Campion was said to be among those who ‘vanished’ after the Australian force attacked a bristling section of the German line at dawn. According to the Red Cross Wounded and Missing File he was killed by a shell. Strangely his death is recorded as being on 8 October. As he has no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Stone 17F.
On 20 April 1915 he left Australia together with his older brother Gerald Gordon who was in the same company. He was taken back to England after being wounded in Gallipoli and rejoined the reinforcements in Egypt before arriving in France. Willie was wounded at Pozieres (gunshot wound to the side and left shoulder) during July 1916, and sent to England again, where he re-mained for 11 months before rejoining his battalion in France. From there it went to Belgium in the summer/autumn of 1917.
On 9th October 1917 in the Battle of Poelcapelle, part of the Battle of Passchendaele, the 10th Battalion A.I.F. were to raid Celtic Wood. The raid was unsuccessful. Private Willie Campion was said to be among those who ‘vanished’ after the Australian force attacked a bristling section of the German line at dawn. According to the Red Cross Wounded and Missing File he was killed by a shell. Strangely his death is recorded as being on 8 October. As he has no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Stone 17F.
Connection to other soldiers 1
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Gerald Gordon Campion
Brother |
Sources 8
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"Passchendaele, The Day-by-Day Account",McCarthy C., Arms&ArmourPress, London, 1995, page 106 Sources used |
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AIF Project https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=45421 Sources used |
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AWM https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search/people?people_preferred_name=Campion&people_service_number=2051&people_unit= Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1598140/WILLIE%20E%20CAMPION/ Sources used |
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Service Record https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3201363 Sources used |
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The Long long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/1st-australian-division/ Sources used |
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War Diary https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1347089 Sources used |
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War Diary https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1341856 Sources used |