CAMPBELL, John Morley - WX6075

Original items held by the Army Museum of Western Australia

Driver John Morley Campbell

Conflict	World War 2
Service Arm	Australian Imperial Force
Unit	2/28th Infantry Battalion 2/13th Australian Transport Platoon
Service No.	WX6075
Service Arm	Army
Date of Birth	28 Mar 1917
Birthplace	Perth, WA
Residence	Perth, WA
Date of Death	7 Jan 1986
Relatives	Father - Harold Charles Campbell Mother - Edith May Morley

John enlisted on 30th July 1940 and after training at Blackboy Hill, embarked for the Middle East. He arrived in Egypt on 2 February 1941 and then the 2/28th Infantry Battalion travelled by train to Khassa Camp in Palestine. These photos are from his time in Egypt and Palestine.

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  the pyramids taken while passing through Cairo

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  a view of part of Cairo

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  George Smith, Syd Leau, Tich Herbert, Shep, myself, George Heyer and Bear Lofthouse taken while on leave in Cairo

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  Cairo

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  Cairo

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  the Sphinx

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  one of the pyramids in Cairo

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  one of the camels which we hired to take us up the hill to the pyramids

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  George Smith, our guide and myself taken at the pyramids

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  close up of the pyramid

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  Mohammed Aly Mosque at the Citadel in Cairo

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  Zoological Gardens in Cairo

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  an open working water wheel on the Sweet Water Canal

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  King Farouk's Palace

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  Opera Square in Cairo

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  two horse garry near Cairo

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  street scene in Cairo

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  taken outside our hotel in Cairo; Pinky White, Roy Hancock, myself, Syd Lau, Ben Lofthouse, George Smith and Shep

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  customs house in Kantara

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  swimming pool at Gezira Club in Cairo

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  Kantara; getting my money changed from Palestinian to Egyptian currency

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  the race course in Cairo

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  dhows on the River Nile

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  taking a trip up the Nile

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  dhows on the Nile

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  Suez Canal

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  the doors of the Cairo Dam

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  a bauage(dam)across the River Nile

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  me on the Alexandria waterfront

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  Alexandria

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  Egyptian policeman on point duty in Alexandria

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  Pack House Hotel in Alexandria

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  the Green Church in Heliopolis

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  Palace Hotel in Heliopolis; one of the war hospitals

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  statue in a public garden in Heliopolis

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  Basilique with AIF HQ in the background

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  me onthe steps of the Officers Mess in Heliopolis

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  Baron Compais's Palace in Heliopolis

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  a street in Port Tewfik

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  a street along the Suez Canal

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  an Egyptian light control traffic policeman in Port Tewfik

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  the Arab quarter in Port Suez

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  George Smith and myself

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  view of Port Suez

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  taken on arrival at Port Suez after 360 mile trip from Juilis Camp in Palestine

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  Brigadier Strutt and his batman(Chook Farrell)

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  Ford V8 De Supe used while I was driving for Major Harrison in Palestine

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  Chook Farrell and myself at Port Suez

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  a Humber pool car I was driving for a while at Gaza

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  Hama Square with a waterwheel

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  a view along Ben Yahudi Street, Tel-Aviv

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  the cinema in Tel-Aviv

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  intersection of Allenby and Jaffa Roads in Tel-Aviv

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  John on the Promenade

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  on the waterfront

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  Mograbi Hall, Tel-Aviv

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In March 1941, the 2/28th Battalion travelled from Palestine to Libya and joined in the defence of the area near Tobruk. The German-Italian Army pushed them back into the town of Tobruk and they were under siege from 10th April, 1941 until the end of September. They earned the nickname 'The Rats of Tobruk'.

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  George M and Len L eating dry rations - bully beef and biscuits

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  a curch in Tobruk scarred from bombing and flying shrapnel

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  Kevin Scott taken outside one of our dugouts

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  a view of Tobruk

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  a two-up ring on the beach

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  Tobruk Harbour

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  John Hurst Edmondson's grave in Tobruk Cemetery

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  memorial under construction at Tobruk Cemetery

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  view of the cemetery in Tobruk

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  our favourite swimming place

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  the coastline from Tobruk

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  the staging camp where convalescents are sent from the hospital before being sent out to their Units again

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  one of the Waddis that are all along the coast

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  ruined remains of a fort from enemy shelling

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  some of our underground dugouts

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  one of our posts, pretty well wrecked from shell fire

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  a dust storm just coming up in the distance

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  a building on the Bardia Road after aerial bombing

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  the remains of a German tank and an armoured fighting vehicle

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  a German tank that didn't return, taken in Tobruk

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  spiked Italian guns that were left in Tobruk by the Italians

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  a view of the very rocky country on the coastline

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  drift sand in Tobruk

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  we fixed up the Italian guns to use

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  a captured Italian four wheel drive battle waggon. Left to right -Alf Gallaway, Tich Carlisle, George Bishop, Jock McGuire, George Skipworth, Archie Russell, Tom Hannah, Doug Ervine and Bill Montague

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  Fergie, Nigger and myself

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  George Knight

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  Ali Barber and Tommy Heel

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  a shell that knocked at the door of my house

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  German shells landing in the distance

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  German shells landing

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  The rum issue

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  This used to be an Italian plane

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  My truck and I both had something in common. We both went into action together for the first time in Tobruk.

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  Cement underground defence positions

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  Morning toilet in progress

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  The fig tree. A well known landmark in Tobruk.

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The 2/28th Battalion was evacuated on 23rd September to Alexandria and then Palestine for training and rest. These photos were taken while travelling to Palestine. John went on leave and explored Jericho and other nearby areas.

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  Military barracks in Mersa Metruh

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  Fort Gapputzo

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  road block on the outskirts of Alexandria

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  filling up while in convoy

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  a building in Mersa Metruh

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  fort on the main road to Alexandria

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  Haifa Harbour

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  Technical school in Haifa

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  cafe in Haifa

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  cafe in Haifa

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  sitting on the top of Mt Carmel which overlooks the town of Haifa

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  Haifa

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  entrance to Persian gardens

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  Barclay's Bank

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  street scene in Haifa

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  on leave in Haifa

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  relaxing while on leave

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  relaxing while on leave

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  Allenbury Bridge, Palestine

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  Good Samaritan Inn, Palestine

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  St George's Convent

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  Bethanie Village

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  Dead Sea

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  River Jordan

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  Arab vilalge in Jericho

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  1914-1918 War Cemetery in Jerusalem

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  1914-1918 War Cemetery in Jerusalem

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  The Sea of Galilee and the town of Tiberius

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  area of temples in Jerusalem

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  edge of the Sea of Galilee

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  Jewish farm

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  Tiberius Hotel

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  halt for dinner while in convoy near Palestine

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  approaching the town of Ramallah

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  Arab cemetery

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  town of Nablus

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On 10th July 1942, the 2/28th was sent to El Alamein in Egypt for four months before returning to Australia in January 1943.

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Attestation and service record.

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