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

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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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