CAMPS, Victor Alexander
| Service Number: | 631 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 July 1915, HMAT Beltana, Sydney |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 30th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Wickham, Newcastle, New South Wales, 13 April 1890 |
| Home Town: | Wickham, Newcastle, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Wickham Public School |
| Occupation: | Railway Fettler (track layer) |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Fromelles / Fleurbaix France, 20 July 1916, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix, Bethune, Nord Pas de Calais Plot I, Row K, Grave No 44 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, St Mark's HR Islington, Wickham "Citizens of Wickham" Volunteers Honour Roll, Wickham Public School Great War Honour Roll, Wickham St James' Anglican Church Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 631, 30th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Beltana, Sydney | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Nov 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 631, 30th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Beltana embarkation_ship_number: A72 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 631, 30th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix) |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
He worked as a ‘Temporary General Labourer’ on the Railways between Newcastle and Waratah.
He was killed instantly on getting over the parapet at Fromelles on 20 July 1916, in daylight, probably shot through the heart. Lieutenant Mason, who as a Sergeant had brought in the dead body for burial, later reported: ‘From the expression on his face, I am sure he was killed outright and did not suffer.’
Submitted 18 May 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by Steve Larkins
Victor Camps was the son of Frederick Ellis Camps and Hannah CAMPS, who at the time of Victor's enlistment, resided at 15 The Avenue, Maryville, New South Wales
Victor went to Wickham Primary School and became a fetler for the NSW Government Railways. He enlisted in July of 1915 as news of the losses at Gallipoli were becoming apparent and thus is one of the men classified as a 'Fair Dinkum'. They knew that it was not a great adventure but a highly risky undertaking.
He embarked from Sydney, on 9 November 1915 disembarking in Suez 11 December 1915. AT this time the 1st and 2nd Divisions had been withdrawn from Gallipoli and were re-organising; the Thrid Division was raising and training in the UK, and the 4th and 5th Divisions were spawned from
Victor embarked with his battalion from Aexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916 and disembarked in Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.
They then moved by rail through the lush and verdant farmland of France north to Flanders where they went into the line in early July 1916 in what was known as 'the nursery'; until then a quiet part of the line where they were conditioned to trench warfare.
All that was to change and on 19 July a major attack entailing two Divisions, the British 61st and the Australian 15th, was made at Fromelles. It was a disaaster for the 5th Division and Victor Camps was one of the nearly 2,000 Australians Killed in action in less than 24 hours, on 20 July 1916.
Statement, Red Cross File No 681006, 145 Pte C.R. DAWSON, C Company, 30th Bn, 15 January 1917: 'He was killed just outside our parapet at Fleurbaix on July 20th, shot through the heart. I helped to bury his body the next day, just behind the trench in the cemetery there.'
He is buried in the nearby Rue Petillon Cemetery
Compiled by Steve Larkins March 2020
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
Let us remember a Fallen soldier of The Great War awaiting memorialisation at Sandgate Cemetery.
On the 20th July 1916, Private Victor Alexander Camps, 30th Battalion (Reg No-631), fettler from 57 Fleming Street, Wickham, New South Wales, was Killed in Action (shot through the heart), during the Battle of Fromelles, age 26.
Born at Wickham, (Linwood) New South Wales on the 12th April 1890 to Frederick Ellis (died 30.4.1925, Wickham, N.S.W., age 60) of "Victor", 15 The Avenue, Maryville, (Islington) New South Wales, and Jane Camps nee Lochrin (married 1885, died 25.9.1895, Wollombi, N.S.W., age?, buried on the 27.9.1895 at ANGLICAN 1-13. 93, no funeral notice located, Frederick remarried to Hannah Camps nee Mordue 1897, Wickham, N.S.W., died 2.10.1955, Islington, N.S.W., age 79), Vic enlisted on the 4th July 1915 at Liverpool, N.S.W.
Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A72 Beltana on the 9th November 1915.
Disembarked Marseilles, France 23.6.1916.
27 days in the field.
Mr. Camps is resting at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France. Plot I Row K Grave 44.
Place of Association – Wickham, New South Wales, Australia.
Vic’s name has been inscribed on the Wickham Superior Public School Roll of Honour, Wickham (Hawkins Oval) Memorial, Wickham Municipal District Roll of Honour Board (1), Wickham St. James' Anglican Church Honour Roll, Book of Gold and the NSW Govt Railways and Tramways Roll of Honour, 1914-1919.
There is no memorial inscription on the headstone plaque for the Camps family to tell us of the loss of their son during The Great War, and I am unable to erect a Memorial cross, so I have placed poppies in remembrance of Vic’s service and supreme sacrifice for God, King & Country. ANGLICAN 2-112. 33.
Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.
For more detail, see “Forever Remembered “
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/
Lest We Forget.
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