3625 Private, 8th Company, 1st Battalion Otago Regiment, 1st New Zealand Infantry Brigade, New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
Age: 27
Date of death: 31/7/17
Buried: Ploegsteert Wood Cemetery I.AA.5
Family history: George Campbell was the son of Janet S. Campbell, 66 Grange Street, Grangemouth. He emigrated to New Zealand and lived in Caversham, Dunedin, were he was employed by R Rutherford a grocer as a Carter before he enlisted on 27 July 1916. On completion of his training he embarked with the 19th Reinforcements, ‘D’ Company Otago Infantry Battalion and arrived in the UK at Devonport on 29 January 1917 and went to France on 1 March and was posted from the base camp at Etaples to the 1st Battalion on 21 May 1917. George was unmarried and his mother was listed as his Next of Kin.
Action leading to his death
The Battalion was part of the 2nd Army attack at La Basse-Ville in support of the 5th Army attack on 31 July in the Salient. In preparation for the attack by the Battalion troops from the 8th Company went out through the lines to establish a post overlooking the River Lys and south of the Sugar Refinery and the objective was to prevent the enemy crossing the river south of the Sugar Refinery once the Battalion had established themselves in La Basse-Ville. The attack opened at 3.50am and the Battalion achieved their objective of taking the village. One of the effects of the operation was to draw enemy artillery fire onto the Battalion trenches and forward posts and tis went on throughout the day with the entire garrison of one of the posts on the left of the Battalion becoming casualties. At eh end of the day the Battalion casualties were eight killed and 13 wounded.
Medals Awarded
British War Medal, Victory Medal
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