Cpl
Eric Allan Cameron
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1891 |
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Place of birth: Traralgon, Victoria, Australia |
General information
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Last known residence: Beechworth, Victoria, Australia |
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Profession: Labourer |
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Religion: Presbyterian |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Corporal |
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Service number: 595 |
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Enlistment date: 08/07/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Keswick, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
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Units: — Royal Australian Engineers, 13th Field Coy. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 26/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Zonnebeke Château Grounds, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 26 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 57L |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Eric Allan Cameron, a former labourer, was born in December 1891 in Traralgon, Victoria, Australia. He was the son of Allan and Hannah Cameron. On July 8, 1915 he enlisted in Keswick, South Australia and joined the 3rd Field Company Engineers. He embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A70 Ballarat on September 6, 1915. Later he joined the 13th Australian Field Company, part of the Divisional Royal Engineers of the 4th Australian Division.
The 4th Australian Division participated in the Battle of Polygon Wood, a phase of the Battle of Passchendaele. It was to attack from positions along Anzac ridge, just south of Polygon Wood, and operated on the left flank of the 5th Australian Division, which had to capture Polygon Wood itself. The 4th Division’s attack was carried by the 4th and 13th Australian Brigades. The Divisional Royal Engineers of the 4th Australian Division did the preparatory work (e.g. making camp, reconnoitring the country in rear of the present line, locating and describing all dugouts) for the attack on September 26.
On 26 September 1917 at 6.45 a.m. the Australians moved forward behind a creeping barrage. The barrage was very dense and powerful, and most German resistance was broken even before the attacking parties arrived. The defenders they did encounter, surrendered willingly. Only some German snipers offered slight resistance. During the attack, engineer officers of the 13th Australian Field Company were detailed to supervise the work done by each Battalion (dug out strong points).
Eric Allan, aged 23, was killed in action on September 26, 1917. Corporal Cameron was mentioned on a cross close to where he fell, south of Zonnebeke Lake (28.D.28.a.40.20). This cross was initially re-erected at Perth China Wall Cemetery. His remains were not recovered or identified after the war. Eric Allan Cameron has no known grave and is remembered on Panel 57L of the Menin Gate Memorial.
The 4th Australian Division participated in the Battle of Polygon Wood, a phase of the Battle of Passchendaele. It was to attack from positions along Anzac ridge, just south of Polygon Wood, and operated on the left flank of the 5th Australian Division, which had to capture Polygon Wood itself. The 4th Division’s attack was carried by the 4th and 13th Australian Brigades. The Divisional Royal Engineers of the 4th Australian Division did the preparatory work (e.g. making camp, reconnoitring the country in rear of the present line, locating and describing all dugouts) for the attack on September 26.
On 26 September 1917 at 6.45 a.m. the Australians moved forward behind a creeping barrage. The barrage was very dense and powerful, and most German resistance was broken even before the attacking parties arrived. The defenders they did encounter, surrendered willingly. Only some German snipers offered slight resistance. During the attack, engineer officers of the 13th Australian Field Company were detailed to supervise the work done by each Battalion (dug out strong points).
Eric Allan, aged 23, was killed in action on September 26, 1917. Corporal Cameron was mentioned on a cross close to where he fell, south of Zonnebeke Lake (28.D.28.a.40.20). This cross was initially re-erected at Perth China Wall Cemetery. His remains were not recovered or identified after the war. Eric Allan Cameron has no known grave and is remembered on Panel 57L of the Menin Gate Memorial.
Sources 4
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13th Field Company, Australian Engineers (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 14/32/19). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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4th Australian Divisional Engineers (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 14/10/20). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455). https://www.naa.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Unit embarkation nominal rolls, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM8). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/910622 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7380843 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=a77f55a7-eadb-43e7-b06f-61c2d0e5aa86 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=43920 |