Campbell, Captain John

Surname:	Campbell
Forename(s):	John
Rank:	Captain
Service number:
Regiment:	4th Cameron Highlanders ‘C’ Company
Date of death:	17 May 1915 Aged 33
Place of death:	Festubert
Buried Commemorated	Missing Le Touret Memorial – Panel 41 A,

Background

John was born on 4 October 1882 at Spey Street, Kingussie to Ewan Campbell (House Carpenter – Master) and Elsie (m.s. Cameron) who had married at Duthil on 19 January 1882.

Before the war John worked as an assistant ironmonger and cabinet maker for his father in Kingussie. His father Lt Col Ewan Campbell, Craigendarroch, Kingussie commanded the 4th Cameron Highlanders from 1913 to 1914 and his uncle, John Campbell, was wounded at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle. John had two sisters Margaret and Elsie.

War Record

John travelled to France on 19 February 1915 and was Mentioned in Dispatches for covering the retreat of his men from the Southern Breastwork Trench, Festubert.  He took over command when Captain T. Allison was first shot in the ankle and then in the head.

He is described by one writer as having last been seen at the end of a German trench firing his revolver into the German “…making his own body the shelter of his men from the storm of bullets as they retired.”  The 4th Cameron Highlanders were reported to be “exhausted, soaked and broken.”  C company lost 3 officers and 35 men killed plus 29 wounded.

He is also remembered on the Kingussie War Memorial and the Kingussie and Insh Memorial in Kingussie Parish Church and the Ring of Remembrance, Notre Dame de Lorette