CAMPBELL, John James

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Toronto, Ontario
Regimental Number
163258
Rank
Sergeant
Date of Death
Age at Death
34 years 11 months
Cenotaph
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT: 4th Canadian Infantry Division, 11th Infantry Brigade, 75th Battalion  -  Mississauga, Canadian Infantry Corps
RESIDENCE:    Toronto – Ontario.
WIFE:         Mrs. Mary Campbell – Dublin - Ontario
MOTHER:   Mrs. Patterson – Vauxhall – Birmingham – England
Occupation:   Carpenter at C.P.R.              
Religion:     Church of England


When he left Canada he was a private but worked hard to get his rank of Sergeant. Private Campbell arrived in England on June 29, 1916 and then on July 10th he joined the ranks of the 75th Battalion. He went overseas into France and joined his unit in the field in mid August of 1916.

A block was up in the trench just west of the Pys Road and a new parallel trench was dug to and about 100 yards north of Desire. An artillery barrage began at 6:10 hours on November 18th and the Battalion was successful in “going over the top” toward their objective of Desire Trench. At 07:10 hours the Battalion had their objective and were consolidating their position by 07:33 hours in front of Desire Trench. The Battalion on their right failed to advance and they were receiving enemy enfilade fire and enemy sniping from the right. At 10:16 am the Battalion was warned about the possibility of the enemy around them might be in a pocket and that the artillery could deal with the threat. They bombed up the trench from the right eliminating the threat. Following that they put a block in the trench in Desire Trench a few yards west of Pys Road. They then dug a new trench parallel to and about 100 yards north of Desire Trench. They consolidated their positions and held this ground.  Casualties for the Battalion on this day were 98 men of all ranks killed and 142 men of all ranks wounded.

Sergeant Campbell was wounded during the above advance which took place on November 18th during the Battle of the Somme. He was admitted to No. 1 Canadian General Hospital located at Etaples. His wounds were severe and his arm was amputated in the middle of December 1916, and was then moved to Shoreham on Sea in England on December 29th, 1916 and then moved to the Edmonton Military Hospital in London on January 1, 1917. His condition apparently improved and it was anticipated that he would return home to Canada and his family.  Then in late February his condition deteriorated quickly and he was immediately receiving antibiotics and he was not able to survive his injuries as his heart failed. There was a coroner’s inquest and it was determined that much fatty tissue in the heart area and his arteries led to his death.