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CAMPBELL, Cpl. Leo John, 3717. D.C.M., M.M. 3rd Bn. Australian Inf. Killed in action 9th Aug., 1918. Age 26. Son of James and Elizabeth Campbell. Born at Cootamundra, New South Wales. Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery Fouilloy XX. D. 7.

2117 Private James Campbell 3rd Battalion AIF gave his age as 43 years and 4 months when he enlisted in April 1915. He gave his trade as “bushman” and hailed from Binalong in NSW. He was born in 1863 so was he was actually 52 years of age and the father of 8 children when he enlisted. His wife Elizabeth had passed away during 1910. Less than four months after enlisting James was also killed in action during the charge on Lone Pine. Such was the savagery of the fighting that many men are listed as being killed between the dates of 7th August and 12th August 1915. So many men were killed that too few were left to give witness to the fate of their mates. Bodies were literally thrown out of the trenches to make room for the living and to strengthen defensive parapets. The 3rd Battalion lost 255 men killed during August 1915 at Gallipoli, from a total strength of probably around 600. Campbell only joined the 3rd Battalion on Gallipoli on the 4th August 1915, and was reported missing, later confirmed killed, within a few days. James has no known grave and remembered on the Lone Pine Memorial, Turkey. He would have had little time for any formal training as a soldier before he was rushed into the attack on Lone Pine. James was one of 150 men of the 6th reinforcements 3rd Battalion, who landed on Gallipoli only 3 days prior to the Lone Pine attack. He was one of 40 of these reinforcements who were killed during the fighting, all dead within a week of landing and all of them having the dates of death as 7th-12th August 1915.

His son, 3717 Sergeant Leo John Campbell D.C.M., M.M., also served in the 3rd Battalion, enlisting a fortnight after his father’s death in August 1915 though at that stage he would probably not even known his father was missing. He joined the 3rd Battalion in France in May 1916, and was wounded in action, a gunshot to the back, at Pozieres on the 24th July, 1916. At Flers on the 5th November, 1916 he suffered a gunshot wound to the scalp and the right arm, and for the action in which he was wounded, he was awarded the Military Medal.  The recommendation reads, "For conspicuous gallantry in an attack on the enemy's trenches near Flers on night 4/5th November 1916. Private Campbell was first bayonet man of a bombing party and throughout the assault showed great personal bravery and his example inspired the others. He was slightly wounded before entering the enemy's trench, but remained with his party and killed four of the enemy.” He was evacuated to England to recover from his wounds, and just prior he was awarded the Military Medal in the field on 5th December, 1916.

While Leo Campbell was in England on furlough he contracted venereal disease, not an unusual occurrence amongst the Diggers recovering in “Blighty”. He spent 174 days recovering and did not rejoin the 3rd Battalion in France until September 1917. He was promoted to L-Cpl on the 12th October, and awarded the DCM, the citation states, “At Broodseinde Ridge east of Ypres on 4 October 1917 Private. Campbell showed conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Whilst the attack was checked by a machine gun, he rushed a strong point, and, though bombed by the enemy, went on and shot several men, bombed the dugout, and captured two machine guns.”

Leo Campbell was killed in action on the 9th August, 1918, at the age of 26, and the avenging of his fathers’ death may have inspired the reckless courage which resulted in him being most highly decorated on two separate occasions. The fact that so many decorated Anzacs, particularly those who had shown conspicuous gallantry in 1916 and 1917, were killed in 1918, speaks volumes for the resilience of the Australian soldiers during this late period. Campbell is buried in the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery at Fouilloy, France.