Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Raid on Celtic Wood

2051 Private Willie Edmond Campion a mason from Curramulka, South Australia who had served at Gallipoli was wounded at Pozières France in July 1916. He was in the field with D Company on the day of the raid and recorded ‘Missing 8/10/17’ on the 13 October Field Return. A Court of Inquiry convened on 16 May 1918 found he was Killed in action on 8 October 1917.

Credible witness statements in his Red Cross file. Captain Partridge. - ‘I knew the boy well. He used to be servant to Capt. Blackburn, VC, when I first joined the Bn. ... I was president of a Court of Enquiry held on this case about a month ago and xxxx evidence was given by a man who claimed to know him well and he had seen him killed by a shell. The reason Campion was at first reported missing was the fact that this witness was himself wounded and did not return to the Bn, for some time.’    

Private Simpson. - ‘I saw Campion killed at Celtic wood, near Passchendaele. He was killed instantaneously by a shell.’  

Credible witness statement in his Brother Gerald’s Red Cross file. Private Bethmont D Company. -  ‘There were 2 brothers Campion, one was missing about 5 a.m. in the raid…the other whom I take to be G.C. Campion was wounded about 7 p.m. by shell. …’

Notes: - ID disc received by mother in letter 15 October 1918.

Letter from Base Records Office dated 23/6/21 - ‘extract for AGS’  ‘Killed at Celtic Wood, near Passchendaele.’ [i]

[i]National Archives of Australia, B 2455, Campion Willie Edmond / 3201363, viewed 6 September 2008.

Brother - "LATE PRIVATE G. G. CAMPION.

Private Gerald Gordon Campion, eldest son of Mrs. C. Campion, of Curramulka, died of wounds in France on October 10. He enlisted on January 16, 1915, and left with the 5th Reinforcements of the 10th Battalion in April, 1915. He served on the Gallipoli Peninsula from June until the evacuation. In April, 1916, he proceeded to France, where he remained since (with the exception of 10 days' furlough in England last December). He had the longest service of any man in D Company. He was born at Minlaton, Yorke Peninsula, and was 27 years of age. He was of a cheerful and manly disposition, and for years was the mainstay of his widowed mother. He was educated at St. Bartholomew's School, Norwood and at Curramulka. Mrs. Campion has received word that her second son, (Private. W. E. Campion) has been missing since October & He enlisted in December, 1914, and was in the same company as his brother. He was invalided to England from the Gallipoli Peninsula, and joined reinforcements in Egypt. Thence he proceeded to France, was wounded in June, 1916, and was sent to England, where he remained for 11 months before rejoining his company in France." - from the Adelaide Daily Herald 29 Nov 1917 (nla.gov.au)

"Late Pte. Will E. Campion.

Miss Campion, of Allendale North, has received word from the military authorities that her brother, Pte. Will E. Campion, who was reported missing on October 8, 1917, is now reported killed in action on that date. He enlisted in December, 1914, and left (in company with his late brother) with the 5th Reinforcements of the 10th Battalion. After service on Gallipoli he was invalided to to England. After spending five months there he rejoined his company in Egypt, and proceeded to France, where he was wounded in June, 1916. He was sent to St. Thomas' Hospital, in England, and remained in the homeland for eleven months, returning to France in June, 1917. While in England he was emloyed in the Military Post Office at Bedford Camp." - from the Kapunda Herald 07 Jun 1918 (nla.gov.au)