STANSFIELD, Cameron William
| Service Number: | 2509 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 8 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Light Trench Mortar Battery |
| Born: | Franklin, Tasmania, Australia, 25 December 1893 |
| Home Town: | Franklin, Huon Valley, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 29 December 1951, aged 58 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Jun 1915: | Involvement Private, 2509, 12th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Kanowna embarkation_ship_number: A61 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Jun 1915: | Embarked Private, 2509, 12th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Kanowna, Adelaide | |
| 8 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2509, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
| 10 Aug 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2509, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
| 18 Mar 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 3rd Light Trench Mortar Battery |
Help us honour Cameron William Stansfield's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Cameron William Stansfield was one of five sons of James Thomas and Marion Stansfield, of Franklin, Tasmania, who served Australia during WW1. His younger brother, 2950 Pte. Stanley Robert Stansfield 52nd Battalion AIF was killed in action at Mouquet Farm in 1916.
Cameron served at Gallipoli for a few months and fought at Pozieres with the 12th Battalion. He was shot in the leg on 23 July 1916 and evacuated to England, where he wrote a letter home, and posted a captured German helmet back to his home town. The letter was published in the Hobart Daily Post, 14 October 1916.
“Private C.W. Stansfield, writing from St. Luke’s War Hospital, Bradford, says: You have heard by this time, I presume, of my being wounded at Pozieres. Well, old friend, I am progressing favourably now, thank God. The Australians have again made history; In fact, the boys representing the whole Empire are demonstrating hourly that nothing is too terrible for them to face. While not wishing to particularise, I cannot let the occasion pass without referring to the pluck and valour of the Dublins and Munsters, also the Scotch. There is an esprit de corps pervading everyone that is simply glorious. Regarding my own modest effort, l was put out of action just after we had taken part of the village. I was told off to bring up water to the position we had just won. I was carrying a couple of tins of water on my back, and after leaving the communication trench had to cross about 300 yards of open country. We were dodging along when a bullet caught me in the left leg just below the knee. It went straight through, and made a clean wound. It did not hurt very much — a sort of dull, burning feeling. Then my leg went suddenly numb, and I toppled over. It seems remarkable how a bit of a bullet can spin a man over. However, I must consider myself lucky. The stretcher bearers were immediately on the job, and carried me to the dressing station amidst shrapnel and high explosives, and I was not sorry to get out of that ‘‘little lot.’’ Take it from me, old friend, I consider the daring and gallantry of the stretcher-bearers will be amongst the most enthralling episodes when the history of the war is written. You will doubtless remember a Huon gentleman twitting some of the boys for not enlisting: also you will probably recollect that I challenged him to show willing himself. As our Huon friend has not attempted to leave Tasmania, and as I can show a reasonable “certificate" that I have been in action, I can honestly claim to have drawn first blood in our argument. You gave me a commission before leaving Tasmania, viz., to bring or send you a Prussian helmet (the Kaiser’s for preference). Well, I have not got the Imperial top-piece yet, but at Pozieres I secured a private's helmet (the particulars of such gain I hope to relate to you whilst seated at your happy fireside).”
Stansfield later transferred to the 3rd Light Trench Mortar Battery and returned to Australia in 1919. He passed away in Sydney during 1951.
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