Remembering the service of Hugh Andrew Geraldton Campbell

Hugh Andrew Geraldton Campbell was one of the 416,809 Australians who enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) during World War I and served as an engineer. Engineers, such as Hugh, were the backbone of the military, responsible for building and maintaining critical infrastructure like trenches, railways and roads, which were essential for troop movement and maintaining supply lines.   

 Early Life  

Hugh Campbell was born in Innisfail in 1885 but grew up at Ipswich where the Campbell family were one of the earliest settlers in the area, establishing the first blacksmith. Hugh's father died when he was only 4 years old, leaving his mother to raise him and his younger brother William at her parents' home in Enoggera. Continuing the family business in agricultural tools, Hugh became a machinery salesman. 

As a young man, Hugh developed a strong sense of patriotism towards the British Empire. In 1912 he became a member of the Overseas Club, which was designed to promote an understanding of different countries. The club’s creed swore to uphold the legacy of the empire’s fathers, believing the British Empire to be a source of good and justice in the world.  He was skilled at mathematics and construction, but he was also a keen photographer and fan of cricket.  

Engineers in the AIF 

When Hugh enlisted in the AIF, aged 30, in December 1915 his experience as a machinery salesman saw him assigned to the newly raised 11th Field Company Engineers, which comprised recruits from Queensland and South Australia. 

Each of the three Australian divisions had three field engineer companies under their command, and so the 9th, 10th and 11th Field Company Engineers belonged to the 3rd Division. The engineers undertook a variety of tasks which included preparing and supervising construction of defensive and gun positions; excavating trenches and dugouts; laying out barbed wire and other obstacles; preparing command posts, signal posts and water supply; and constructing roads and bridges. During preparations for battles, or during battle itself, the engineers were called upon to undertake obstacle breaching and crossing. An example of this was when, in the lead-up to the attack at Mont St Quentin in August–September 1918, they were required to carry out two river-crossing or bridging operations.  

Time in England  

The Queensland contingent of the 11th Field Company trained at Enoggera before being sent to Adelaide to prepare for embarkation. Hugh must have had a natural affinity for his work, as he was promoted to corporal before the unit left for England in May 1916 aboard HMAT Suevic (A29).  They arrived in late July and joined the 3rd Australian Division at Lark Hill Ccamp on the Salisbury Plains. They also trained for a time at Brightlingsea in Essex before returning to Lark Hill.  

Their time in England was far from bleak, as a number of events were held to maintain morale amongst the troops. Campbell’s unit put on a concert, and it seems he was quite the singer. The local paper wrote ‘Corporal Campbell proved immensely popular, their fine vocal renderings gaining them an insistent encore’. Campbell seems to have had fond memories of the inter-unit sports rivalries, having kept the schedule and paper clippings concerning the army and navy sports day on 12 August 1916. 

On the Front   

The 3rd Division finally arrived in France in early December 1916, at the start of one of the bleakest winters in decades. Life on the front could be dangerous, and the Germans weren’t the only threat. Soldiers were issued with flyers listing tips to help them prevent frostbite and trench foot. For example, they were told ‘three extra pairs of dry socks should be carried by each man’. The extra kit and time required to keep things clean were an added burden on already stretched men. Before entering the front, it was also impressed upon the men the kind of soldier they should be. Major-General Monash told them ‘your future renown will rest upon....your regard for the welfare and property of the women and children of France’ and that ‘...Australia [was] famous throughout the world’ on account of the ‘valour and endurance’ of the Australians who had gone before. 

Hugh’s company were put to work near Armentières, taking responsibility for the demolition of bridges over the river Lys, as well as attending to a number of emergency floating bridges. The weather was so cold that the river froze completely and could be crossed by horses and wagons. In March, the company left to assist with preparations for the attack on Messines Ridge, which meant establishing improved and extended trenches, headquarters for various battalions, camouflage screens for artillery and ‘dumps’ for stores. Following the battle of Messines (7 June 1917), the company worked until mid-July with their infantry brigade, holding their front-line areas, after which time they were relieved and sent back.  

In early July 1917, Hugh was promoted to Sergeant, and then selected to attend the Engineers Training Depot, Brightlingsea, Essex. In January 1918, he rejoined the 11th Field Company Engineers in France and spent the next eight months rotating in and out of front-line work.  

In April 1918, Campbell witnessed the death of the Red Baron, the German pilot who became the most famous air ace of the war. There has been a lot of controversy and debate about how the Red Baron died, but as one of the eyewitnesses, he remains one of our best sources. According to the paper at the time ‘Lieutenant Campbell is emphatic that the German’s red triplane was brought down by the two West Australian Lewis gunners who were stationed in the brick kiln’ in the Somme region. Campbell and many others took mementos from the plane.  The cloth from one of the Red Baron’s medals, souvenired by Campbell, is in his collection at State Library.

In September 1918, only a month before the end of the war, Hugh was selected to attend Officers Training School in Newark. During training he was promoted to sergeant, and then in early January 1919 he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He rejoined his unit in France on 1 February.  

Aftermath of the War 

At the end of the war, there were 90,000 Australian soldiers in France waiting to return home and a massive and highly efficient demobilisation and repatriation effort began, led by General Monash. All Australian soldiers in France were sent back to the camps in England, where they waited to return home. By May 1919, 70,000 men were camped on the Salisbury Plains, with those who had served longest being sent home first. Hugh Campbell, who a month earlier had attained the rank of lieutenant, was finally assigned a place on board the transport ship HMAT Themistocles (A32). He arrived home on 12 June 1919, after three long years away, and returned to the family home at Enoggera. Just seven months later, in February 1920, Hugh married Ada Blanche Caflisch, who was from a prominent Brisbane musical family.   

The Next Generation  

The history of service continued in the Campbell family when Hugh’s only son, Donald, enlisted in World War II in 1943.  Born in 1926 he was only 17 years old when he joined the Royal Australian Navy.  

Donald was assigned to HMAS Parkes, which undertook anti-submarine and minesweeping duties. After spending three weeks in New Guinea, the ship was reassigned to protect shipping between Thursday Island and Darwin. He spent a lot of his service here. However, just before the end of hostilities in August 1945, Parkes participated in a clandestine operation in Timor. They were tasked with extracting commandos from ‘Z’ Special Unit and Australian-trained Timorese soldiers, who’d been involved in a secret mission in enemy held territory. 

In September 1945 HMAS Parkes sailed for Koepang (modern Kupang), Timor to attend the Japanese surrender ceremony. Donald eventually returned to base in Brisbane and was demobilised on 24 July 1946.  

Donald married Kathleen in 1957, they lived a quiet life in Alderley where they resided for 50 years raising two sons. Donald was very family oriented and often had his father Hugh over for family dinners after he was widowed. Donald was also a keen golfer being a member at Keperra Country Golf Club for over 50 years. 

Both Hugh and Donald were careful record keepers, savings diaries, letters, photographs and other mementos from various points in their careers. These are now preserved as part of the Hugh Andrew Geraldton Campbell Papers at State Library of Queensland. Many of the items in the collection are digitised and can be viewed online. 

This Remembrance Day we share Hugh Campbell’s unique wartime contributions.  His story is a reminder of the many varied occupations that Australians undertook within the AIF. We encourage you to consider who you will stop to Remember on 11 November. You can explore ways to commemorate at home, work and in person at Anzac Square here: https://www.anzacsquare.qld.gov.au/commemorate/remembrance-day 

Further Reading:  

Hugh Andrew Geraldton Campbell Papers