CAMPBELL, John Morley - WX6075: Difference between revisions

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

Revision as of 10:03, 8 June 2025

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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.

the pyramids taken while passing through Cairo
a view of part of Cairo
George Smith, Syd Leau, Tich Herbert, Shep, myself, George Heyer and Bear Lofthouse taken while on leave in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo
the Sphinx
one of the pyramids in Cairo
one of the camels which we hired to take us up the hill to the pyramids
George Smith, our guide and myself taken at the pyramids
close up of the pyramid
Mohammed Aly Mosque at the Citadel in Cairo
Zoological Gardens in Cairo
an open working water wheel on the Sweet Water Canal
King Farouk's Palace
Opera Square in Cairo
two horse garry near Cairo
street scene in Cairo
taken outside our hotel in Cairo; Pinky White, Roy Hancock, myself, Syd Lau, Ben Lofthouse, George Smith and Shep
customs house in Kantara
swimming pool at Gezira Club in Cairo
Kantara; getting my money changed from Palestinian to Egyptian currency
the race course in Cairo
dhows on the River Nile
taking a trip up the Nile
dhows on the Nile
Suez Canal
the doors of the Cairo Dam
a bauage(dam)across the River Nile
me on the Alexandria waterfront
Alexandria
Egyptian policeman on point duty in Alexandria
Pack House Hotel in Alexandria
the Green Church in Heliopolis
Palace Hotel in Heliopolis; one of the war hospitals
statue in a public garden in Heliopolis
Basilique with AIF HQ in the background
me on the steps of the Officers Mess in Heliopolis
Baron Compais's Palace in Heliopolis
a street in Port Tewfik
a street along the Suez Canal
an Egyptian light control traffic policeman in Port Tewfik
the Arab quarter in Port Suez
George Smith and myself
view of Port Suez
taken on arrival at Port Suez after 360 mile trip from Juilis Camp in Palestine
Brigadier Strutt and his batman(Chook Farrell)
Ford V8 De Supe used while I was driving for Major Harrison in Palestine
Chook Farrell and myself at Port Suez
a Humber pool car I was driving for a while at Gaza
Hama Square with a waterwheel
a view along Ben Yahudi Street, Tel-Aviv
the cinema in Tel-Aviv
intersection of Allenby and Jaffa Roads in Tel-Aviv
John on the Promenade
on the waterfront
Mograbi Hall, Tel-Aviv

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'.

George M and Len L eating dry rations - bully beef and biscuits
a curch in Tobruk scarred from bombing and flying shrapnel
Kevin Scott taken outside one of our dugouts
a view of Tobruk
a two-up ring on the beach
Tobruk Harbour
John Hurst Edmondson's grave in Tobruk Cemetery
memorial under construction at Tobruk Cemetery
view of the cemetery in Tobruk
our favourite swimming place
the coastline from Tobruk
the staging camp where convalescents are sent from the hospital before being sent out to their Units again
one of the Waddis that are all along the coast
ruined remains of a fort from enemy shelling
some of our underground dugouts
one of our posts, pretty well wrecked from shell fire
a dust storm just coming up in the distance
a building on the Bardia Road after aerial bombing
the remains of a German tank and an armoured fighting vehicle
a German tank that didn't return, taken in Tobruk
spiked Italian guns that were left in Tobruk by the Italians
a view of the very rocky country on the coastline
drift sand in Tobruk
we fixed up the Italian guns to use
Fergie, Nigger and myself
George Knight
Ali Barber and Tommy Heel
a shell that knocked at the door of my house
German shells landing in the distance
German shells landing
The rum issue
This used to be an Italian plane
My truck and I both had something in common. We both went into action together for the first time in Tobruk.
Cement underground defence positions
Morning toilet in progress
The fig tree. A well known landmark in Tobruk.
entrance to a dugout
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
on board the Latona coming out of Tobruk

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 then went on leave and explored Jericho and other nearby areas.

Military barracks in Mersa Metruh
Fort Gapputzo
road block on the outskirts of Alexandria
filling up while in convoy
a building in Mersa Metruh
fort on the main road to Alexandria
Haifa Harbour
Technical school in Haifa
cafe in Haifa
cafe in Haifa
sitting on the top of Mt Carmel which overlooks the town of Haifa
Haifa
entrance to Persian gardens
Barclay's Bank
street scene in Haifa
on leave in Haifa
relaxing while on leave
relaxing while on leave
Allenbury Bridge, Palestine
Good Samaritan Inn, Palestine
St George's Convent
Bethanie Village
Dead Sea
River Jordan
Arab vilalge in Jericho
1914-1918 War Cemetery in Jerusalem
1914-1918 War Cemetery in Jerusalem
The Sea of Galilee and the town of Tiberius
area of temples in Jerusalem
edge of the Sea of Galilee
Jewish farm
Tiberius Hotel
halt for dinner while in convoy near Palestine
approaching the town of Ramallah
Arab cemetery
town of Nablus
an early morning scene in our tent
bren carrier boys
primitive water wheel
Arabs and their donkeys
outside a tomb at Eskalon
the landscape around Palestine
Arab boys and their herd of goats
George Smith and Ron Henderson
landscape outside Jerusalem
Smoke-o
Ramallah Town, Palestine
A Hurricane airoplane which crashed while flying over our camp in Palestine.
Pilot, MANSFIELD, Keith Warren - 406184, died of injuries.
Arab plow men
at the donkey races in Palestine
snow on the hills outside Jerusalem
taken in the grounds of No 6 AGH in Jerusalem
part of the main road to Jerusalem known as the Seven Sisters
the hillside covered in snow
an Arab village
saddling up at the donkey races
Johnny Keough and myself
typical Palastinian Arab
starting up at the donkey races
Ghaza Beach
street scene in Ghaza
Palestinian mounted policeman
in an orange orchard
Ghaza Town
Arab boy
primitive method of plowing still adopted by the Arabs
Hock Haddleton, Owen Bishop, George Sloan
A beached refugee ship on the beach at Tel Aviv
Ghaza Town
German Messerschmitt
on leave in Jericho
Bier Sheba 1914-1918 war cemetery in Palestine
Jewish bus driver
school house Bier Sheba
Arab woman
English policeman stationed in Palestine
Arab shops
a parade of Palestinian soldiers which took place in Gaza to boost up recruiting
Catalina
Mosquito
Douglas
Beaufort bomber converted to freight carrier
a view of a mosque in the distance in Cairo
a 1942 model Chev used by myself when driving in Gaza
WX6075 Driver J M Campbell, B Platoon, 2/156 AGT Company, AASC, AIF
the bus I was driving while in Gaza; Norm Rochford the conductor
one type of Chev used by us in the desert as a water truck
just been camouflaged
scenes of a railway accident about 2 miles out of Ghaza Station
Beyrouth the town clock, Syria
temple in Syria
Beyrouth Street bridge in Syria
Beyrouth, Syria

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

knocked out German tank
Allied vehicles captured by the Germans and while using them at Alamein they were knocked out by our artillery fire.
tanks in the desert at Alamein
RAF breakdown truck returning with a plane that has made a forced landing.
a formation of our bombers skimming along the horizon.
crash landings in the desert
crash landing
El-Daba aerodrome, just after it was recaptured by our troops from the Germans.
German planes that didn't return safely
El-Hamman Station
Burg-El-Arab Station
Alamein Station
a mosque in the desert
Tel-Elisa Station
a mine exploding
leisure hours at Alamein
shaving
halt for a meal
bomb crater
underground tents
underground tents
Bill Moffat, Tigh Stapleton
keeping low at meal times
at the cookhouse
at the cookhouse
Bill Malpass
dug in for protection from shrapnel
crossing the Sinai Desert between Palestine and Egypt
half way house between Cairo and Alexandria
Bier-sheba village, Palestine

Attestation and service record.

@@ Line 130: / Line 130: @@
 John Morley Campbell - WX6075_093.jpg|drift sand in Tobruk
 John Morley Campbell - WX6075_095.jpg|we fixed up the Italian guns to use
-John Morley Campbell - WX6075_096.jpg|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
 John Morley Campbell - WX6075_097.jpg|Fergie, Nigger and myself
 John Morley Campbell - WX6075_098.jpg|George Knight
@@ Line 151: / Line 150: @@
 John Morley Campbell - WX6075_118.jpg
 John Morley Campbell - WX6075_251.jpg
 John Morley Campbell - WX6075_246.jpg|entrance to a dugout
+John Morley Campbell - WX6075_096.jpg|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
 John Morley Campbell - WX6075_119.jpg
 John Morley Campbell - WX6075_248.jpg|on board the Latona coming out of Tobruk