Leslie Drysdale CAMPBELL

CAMPBELL, Leslie Drysdale

Service Number: 4153
Enlisted: 12 August 1915, Holsworthy, NSW
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 13th Infantry Battalion
Born: Narrabri, NSW, 17 November 1895
Home Town: Inverell, Inverell, New South Wales
Schooling: District School Inverell
Occupation: Bank Clerk
Died: Sydney, NSW, 12 September 1971, aged 75 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Not yet discovered
Memorials: Bank of New South Wales Roll of Honour Book, Inverell & District Memorial Olympic Pool WW1 Honour Roll, Inverell Intermediate High School Roll of Honour
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World War 1 Service

12 Aug 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4153, 13th Infantry Battalion, Holsworthy, NSW
20 Dec 1915: Involvement Private, 4153, 13th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: ''
20 Dec 1915: Embarked Private, 4153, 13th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Sydney

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Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

LESLIE DRYSDALE CAMPBELL was born on 17th November, 1895, at Narrabri, New South Wales, the son of Mr. Ernest Vincent Campbell and Mrs. Elizabeth Campbell. He was educated at the District School, Inverell, New South Wales, and he joined the staff of the Bank at the Head Office in January, 1914.

Leslie Drysdale Campbell enlisted on 20th September, 1915, and was allotted to the 13th Battalion. He was afterwards transferred to the 4th Machine Gun Company, and later on in England, to No. 2a Auxiliary Hospital Staff.

He left Australia in December, 1915, for Egypt, and arrived in France in June, 1916. With his battalion he was engaged on various sectors in France and Flanders; fighting at the Battles of Pozieres, Mouquet Farm, Ypres, Guedecourt, Bullecourt and Messines. He was promoted to lance-corporal in July, 1917, and in the following month was wounded near Warneton, the wound causing the loss of his right eye. He was in hospitals at Portsmouth and Southall, England, until he left for Australia in July, 1918.

Just before he left England he attempted to save the life of a boy who fell into the Canal at Southall. For this gallant action he was awarded a certificate of the Royal Humane Society. The certificate states:—“It was resolved unanimously that the Honorary Testimonial of this Society inscribed on parchment be hereby given to Lance-Corporal Leslie Campbell, Australian Imperial Forces, for having on 3rd June, 1918, at personal risk, gallantly attempted to rescue a boy who was unfortunately drowned in the Grand Junction Canal, Southall.”

Source Bank of NSW Roll of Honour

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