Pte
Gerald Gordon Campion
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1890 |
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Place of birth: Minlaton, South Australia, Australia |
General information
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Profession: Farmer |
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: 1920 |
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Enlistment date: 15/01/1915 |
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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: 10/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Lijssenthoek, Remy Siding Casualty Clearing Stations, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Died of wounds (D.O.W.) |
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Age: 27 |
Cemetery
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Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery Plot: XXi Row: D Grave: 19A |
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 Gerald Gordon Campion was 25 years old when he enlisted in the Australian Army on 15th January 1915. The former farmer labourer lived in Curramulka, South Australia and was still sin-gle when he was assigned to the 10th Battalion A.I.F. part of the 3rd Australian Brigade, 1st Aus-tralian Division.
On 20 April 1915 he left Australia together with his younger brother Willie Edmund who was in the same battalion, both D Company. He served in Gallipoli from June 1915 until the evacuation. In April 1916 he proceeded to 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. According to the witnesses in the Australian Red Cross Files, Gerald was reported to have received multiple shell wounds during the attack and died of his wounds the next day. Gerald was buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery Belgium, plot XXI, row D, grave 19A.
On 20 April 1915 he left Australia together with his younger brother Willie Edmund who was in the same battalion, both D Company. He served in Gallipoli from June 1915 until the evacuation. In April 1916 he proceeded to 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. According to the witnesses in the Australian Red Cross Files, Gerald was reported to have received multiple shell wounds during the attack and died of his wounds the next day. Gerald was buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery Belgium, plot XXI, row D, grave 19A.
Connection to other soldiers 1
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Willie Edmund 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=45407 Sources used |
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AWM https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3201339 Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/430958/GERALD%20GORDON%20CAMPION/ Sources used |
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Service Record https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3201339 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/C1341856 Sources used |
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War Diary https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1347089 Sources used |