Lieutenant John James (“Jim”) Campbell, MC Canadian Field Artillery
CANADIAN FIELD ARTILLERY – 3RD BRIGADE, 11TH BATTERY
Born: January 16, 1890, North Dumphries Township
Enlisted: 67th University of Toronto Batty
Service Number: 337852
Deceased: October 26, 1917, Passchendaele, Flanders
PREPARED BY: BRUCE MACDONALD
Photo provided by Bruce MacDonald
Only son of John C. Campbell and Sarah (nee Birley) Campbell; b. North Dumphries Township (East River Road, just South of Galt), Waterloo County, Ontario, Canada; Educated: North Dumfries Public School, Galt Collegiate Institute, University of Toronto; Applied Science, 1910-14, B.A.SC. (Civ. Eng. Hon.). Employed by the Firm of Chipman & Power, employed at Bowmanville and Burlington.
Jim served as an Artillery Officer through the battles of Regina Trench, Vimy Ridge, Arleux, Fresnoy, La Coulotte, Avion, Hill 70 and Passchendaele. He served continuously, except for 9 days leave.
At Vimy Ridge, he served as a Forward Observation Officer (F.O.O.). He ran forward with the first wave of infantry. He unraveled telephone wire as he ran forward to take up a forward observation position and guide the artillery with their aim.
Due to the lack of frontline officers, he volunteered to stay for "one-last-push" to capture the German held "high ground" at Passchendaele, Flanders - 103 brutal days of fighting in the Third Battle of Ypres from July to November of 1917. He had the option of getting out of the mud and trenches having been awarded a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps, but he chose to stay and fight.
He earned the Military Cross for bravery days before he was killed - carrying one of his wounded men, a Signaler, back from the outposts for nearly a mile over shell-swept ground. Although wounded himself, he remained on the front line to lead and steady his men. He was killed by shell fire on Oct 26th, 1917.
Photo provided by Bruce MacDonald
Cemetery: Belgium, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen - DIVISIONAL CEMETERY
GPS coordinates: 50.8482,2.85833
This tribute was the result of an effort by 15 cousins to pay tribute to Lt. Campbell through the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign.
Together, they have planted not only a tree in his memory but the story of his service with all of us.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank: Bruce MacDonald, Joan MacDonald Duckloe, Reed MacDonald, Catherine Gilray Lazar, Margaret (Peg) Gilray, Peter & Anne Gilray, Clair Gilray, Keith Gilray, Melanie Gilray Sliwa, Keith Manning, Jacquie Darby Robinson, David & Medora Sharpe, Joan Schweyen Mohr, Renee Schweyen Proefrock and Yvonne Schweyen Warner
It has been our honour to share this tribute and we thank each of them for their generous support.