CAMPBELL, Charley Austin

DIVISIONAL UNIT:         2nd Canadian Infantry Division
                                             4th Infantry Brigade
                                             18th Battalion  -  Western Ontario
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   654376
RESIDENCE:                    Belgrave – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:             June 25, 1889
                                             Belgrave - East Wawanosh Township – County of Huron – Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           August 27, 1918                   29 years     2 months
CEMETERY:                     Tigris Lane Cemetery – Wancourt –
                                             Pas de Calais – France
                                             II     A     9
PARENTS:                         Mr. and Mrs. Charles Campbell – Belgrave – Ontario
Occupation:                        Farmer                                  Religion:     Presbyterian
Enlistment:                         Wingham – January 31, 1916 – 161st Huron Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 26 years      7 months

Private Campbell had arrived in England on November 11, 1916. On February 28th, 1918 while at Witley Camp - Surrey Private Campbell is Taken on Strength by the 18th Battalion and joins his unit on March 12, 1918.
Private Campbell was struck down from the bullet from an enemy sniper during the Battle of Arras and 
      died immediately. 
At the time his unit was located between Guemappe and Vis-en-Artois. He had entered France in February of 1918.
The weather was fine and warm
The location of the Brigade was Arras. During the previous two days the fighting had been long and it had been bitter. This would continue. The Arras-Cambrai Road was the left boundary and the railway was the right boundary as the Battalion attacked Villers Cagnicourt at 10 am. The Battalion followed a rolling barrage that lifted every 100 yards every four minutes
The front was 1,600 yards. The 3rd Brigade was left – the 4th Brigade was centre & the 5th Brigade was on the right. By noon Vis-en-Artis / Sensee River and Valley had been reached.
The resistance at the river was very heavy and the enemy was well organized in Olive – Ocean Works and Cable Trench. As the advance continued slowly severe casualties were inflicted by the enemy.
The anticipated support barrage did not happen and an outpost line from Vis-en-Artois along the west bank of the river was formed and a bridgehead on the Arras-Cambrai Road
At times enemy aircraft were active and hindered the advance by machine gun fire and the dropping of bombs.
The Battalion again suffered heavy casualties during the night from the result of enemy artillery fire.