CAMPBELL, Benjamin Pillans
| Service Number: | 17313 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 April 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Sapper |
| Last Unit: | 1st Divisional Signal Company |
| Born: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 18 July 1896 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Sydney Technical High School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1 August 1973, aged 77 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Sydney Technical High School WW1 Roll Of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Apr 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Sapper, 17313 | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 May 1917: | Involvement Sapper, 17313, 1st Divisional Signal Company, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: '' | |
| 11 May 1917: | Embarked Sapper, 17313, 1st Divisional Signal Company, HMAT Shropshire, Melbourne |
Help us honour Benjamin Pillans Campbell's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Sydney Technical High School
Benjamin Pillans Campbell was born in Marrickville, near Sydney, in the County of Cumberland, on July 18, 1896. He was baptised shortly afterwards in a ceremony, binding him to the religion of the Church of England, on the 13th of September 1896 (2).
Campbell was an only child and was brought up by his two parents, Lorne McDougall Campbell, a Clerk, and Eve Campbell, a housewife. He spent a large part of his childhood growing up in Croydon, after he and his family relocated. Campbell began attending Sydney Technical High School (STHS) in 1908, aged twelve, and proved to be a diligent and able student, performing well in subjects such as mathematics and physics (3). This led to his mention in the Daily Telegraph on February 3, 1914 (4). Inspired by his father, in late 1914 Campbell became a Clerk and was confirmed a junior Clerk by the Head Office of the Department of Lands in the Government Gazette of New South Wales (5). Prior to World War I (WWI), Campbell had served in the 25th Signal Company Army Engineers, and had been a member of The Senior Cadets, a voluntary military organisation open to young men like him (5). Training included rigorous physical training, i.e., swimming, marching, running, climbing, etc. While a senior cadet, Campbell also learned to operate various pieces of military equipment like radios and rifles, which are helpful skills in the army. There he was also assigned to unit training, which prepared him for military service in WWI in the process (7).
Campbell enlisted for service with the Australian Imperial Force on April 17th, 1916 (8). Campbell embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A9 Shropshire on May 11th 1917 after several months of training. During the journey Campbell was treated in the ships hospital for a fever. Upon arrival in England he attended Signal Training and proceeded to France in late December. Soon after he was admitted to hospital with diarrhoea and discharged 2 days later on 29th January 1918.
His role as a sapper in the 1st Divisional Signal Company was critical to the Australian Imperial Force; Campbell and his unit were responsible for establishing and maintaining crucial communication lines, including the installation and operation of telegraph and telephone systems. Sappers played a crucial role in WWI, constructing trenches and observation posts, building temporary bridges and roads, and laying communication lines to ensure effective coordination among units (10). His work was essential in ensuring the continuity of command and communications for military operations, allowing for coordinated attacks, and ensuring that every soldier on the front line was aware of their responsibilities.
After the war ended Campbell took a couple of weeks in England and then returned to France to assist with the clean-up. He returned to Australia 3rd June 1919 and discharged 26th July 1919.
Benjamin Pillans Campbell resumed his job as a Clerk in the Department of Lands until he was later transferred to the Department of Agriculture on June 20, 1924 (13). In 1926, Campbell married Myra F. Ford; they had a son, Ian Lorne Campbell (14). Campbell, his widowed mother Eve Campbell, and the rest of his family later relocated from Croydon to 6 Aukl Avenue in Eastwood in 1936, after the unfortunate end of his father’s life. During 1942, Campbell was transferred to the Department of Labour, Industry, and Social Services. Campbell’s mother, Eve, died on March 26, 1954, 18 years later (15). The annual earnings of Campbell in 1955 were recorded to be $1452, slightly over three times that of other Clerks, suggesting Campbell to be an extremely experienced Clerk (16).
Benjamin Pillans Campell died at the age of 77 on August 1 in the year 1973 (17). His remarkable contributions to the Western Front as a sapper will never be forgotten. He truly did embody the ANZAC spirit within his heart.
Endnotes
(1) Anonymous. (2024). Benjamin Pillans CAMPBELL. Vwma.org.au.
https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/305988 (/explore/people/305988)
(2) Anonymous. (2024). CAMPBELL BP - Benjamin Pillans CAMPBELL. Drive.google.com.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JX9IvOurNX8KrVEApiofrMA3rUeD311T (drive.google.com) CAMPBELL 1896 baptism.jpeg
(3) Ibid THS 1912 Class 1C Final Term.jpg
(4) Anonymous. (1914, February 3). The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930) - 3 Feb 1914. Trove.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/239024612/25737272 (trove.nla.gov.au)
(5)Anonymous. (1916, June 23). CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENTS. - DEPARTMENT OF LANDS. - Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001) - 23 Jun 1915. Trove;
(6) Anonymous. (2024). CAMPBELL BP - Benjamin Pillans CAMPBELL. Drive.google.com.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JX9IvOurNX8KrVEApiofrMA3rUeD311T (drive.google.com)
CAMPBELL 01.jpg
(7) Ibid
(8) Anonymous. (2024). The AIF Project. Adfa.edu.au.
https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=44497 (aif.adfa.edu.au)
(9) Ibid
(10)Antonello, A. (2021, March 30). Australian Engineers in the First World War | The Australian War Memorial. Www.awm.gov.au.
https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/australian-engineers-in-the-first-world-war (www.awm.gov.au)
(11) Terrace, V. (2024). CAMPBELL B P. Naa.gov.au.
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1852166 (recordsearch.naa.gov.au)
(12) Anonymous. (2024). CAMPBELL BP - Benjamin Pillans CAMPBELL. Drive.google.com.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JX9IvOurNX8KrVEApiofrMA3rUeD311T (drive.google.com) CAMPBELL 05.jpg
(13) Anonymous. (2014). TRANSFERS. - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. - Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001) - 20 Jun 1924. Trove.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/219979649?browse=ndp%3Abrowse%2Fdate%2F1924%2F06%2F20%2Ftitle%2F526%2Fissue%2F2213707%2Fpage%2F15971754%2Farticle%2F219979649 (trove.nla.gov.au)
(14) Anonymous. (2024c). SPR Benjamin Pillans CAMPBELL. Docs.google.com.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zDKJ00qTVHEWrjPlWoIxSjqY4X1qE53V/edit (docs.google.com)
(15) Ibid
(16) Ibid
(17) Ibid
Bibliography
https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/305988 (/explore/people/305988)
https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/19 (/explore/units/19)
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10403253 (www.awm.gov.au)
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10832247 (www.awm.gov.au)
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2295198 (www.awm.gov.au)
https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=44497 (aif.adfa.edu.au)
https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showUnit?unitCode=SIG.DSC1R26 (aif.adfa.edu.au)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zDKJ00qTVHEWrjPlWoIxSjqY4X1qE53V/edit (docs.google.com)
https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/124 (/explore/units/124)
https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/australian-engineers-in-the-first-world-war (www.awm.gov.au)