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Clarence Wildash Campbell - Information

The Campbell family resided at Brookside in Picton. Here, Clarence worked as a farmer. At the age of 29, he signed up on the 23rd of July 1915 in Liverpool. Due to his superior horse riding skills, he was assigned to the 6th Reinforcements, 12th Light Horse Regiment as a Trooper. He then boarded the RMS Moldovia in Sydney, leaving for war on the 2nd of October 1915.

Clarence landed in Egypt in late 1915. He met the 12th Regiment at Heliopolis in late February, after they returned from Gallipoli. The 12th Regiment were immediately deployed to defend the Suez Canal from a Turkish attack. They were successful and then commenced patrols throughout the Sinai Desert. Clarence was appointed Driver at Ferry Post on the 15th of December. The Turks were on the run, withdrawing into Palestine. In late February 1917, Clarence was transferred to the 4th Brigade Machine Gun Squadron. Clarence and his new unit, followed the other mounted units into operations providing superior firepower. He reverted to Trooper in April, and was admitted to hospital the following month with dental problems. Unluckily, he returned to hospital in August with tonsillitis. Clarence and his unit, helped to finally conquer Gaza in a flanking manoeuvrer from Beersheba. In December, Jerusalem fell and the Turks withdrew into Jordan. Step by step, the Allies closed in on their position. The Turks then surrendered on the 30th of October 1918. Unluckily, on the 3rd of November, he was admitted to the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital and later the 14th Australian General Hospital with malaria. He was then invalided back to Australia in mid March 1919. After he recovered, he returned home to Picton.