CAMERON, Robert Ewen
| Service Numbers: | Officer, S68966 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 February 1918 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 2nd (SA) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) |
| Born: | Portarlington, Victoria, Australia, 27 October 1890 |
| Home Town: | St Peters (SA), Norwood Payneham St Peters, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Geelong College, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | School Master |
| Died: | Adelaide, South Australia, 3 October 1959, aged 68 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Geelong College WW1 Roll of Honour, Hackney St Peter's College Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Feb 1918: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Officer, 48th Infantry Battalion |
|---|
World War 2 Service
| 12 Apr 1942: | Involvement Lance Sergeant, S68966, 2nd (SA) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Apr 1942: | Enlisted Adelaide, SA | |
| 12 Apr 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Lance Sergeant, S68966 | |
| 28 May 1944: | Discharged |
Robert Ewen Cameron
Ewen (as he was called) was born on 27 October 1890 at Portarlington to Rev. James Cameron and Eliza Noble (Leith) Cameron. He was educated at Geelong College from 1903 to 1909 and was Dux in his final year. He became a teacher and joined the staff at St Peter's College in Adelaide, serving as a senior English Master and acting Headmaster from 1945 to 1952. During WW2 he enlisted in the Citizens' Military Force.
Submitted 23 January 2024 by Vikki O'Neill
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of James CAMERON and Elizabeth nee NOBLE of 'Scotia', Portalington, Victoria.
At Geelong College, where he was educated from 1903 to 1909, he was a School Prefect and College Dux in his final year, 1909.
During World War I, he was working as a school teacher when he enlisted in the AIF in Adelaide on 16 February 1918, and embarked with a Special Draft of AIF Officers on HMAT A71 Nestor on 28 February for France, where he was posted to 48 Battalion.
Military Cross
'For great gallantry and initiative during the operations near Le Verquier, north west of St. Quentin, on 18th September 1918. When his platoon met very strong opposition from a trench system, he established his Lewis gun to give covering fire, and with the remainder of his platoon bombed up the occupied portion of the trench, killing six and capturing sixty of the enemy. It was due to his quick dealing with the situation that his platoon captured the position with very few casualties.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 10
Date: 29 January 1920
Robert Ewen Cameron died in Adelaide, SA on October 3 (1959), at the age of 68 years. As a boy at the College he capped an outstanding career by becoming Dux for 1909. After studies at Ormond he joined the staff of St Peter's College, Adelaide, which he was to serve in many capacities during the next 47 years. For a long time senior English master, he was appointed second master in 1946 and was acting Headmaster in 1945 and 1952. He won the Military Cross while serving in the AIF during World War I.
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