Major General Ian Ross Campbell DSO & Bar

Timeline

23/03/1900

Date of birth

26/03/1919

Inducted C Staff captain, Royal Military College.

14/12/1922

Graduated from Royal Military College. Appointed lieutenant.

20/08/1923

Adjutant and quartermaster 36th Battalion.

1926-09-09 - 1926-11-03

Training in India Scots Fusi.

04/11/1926

Attached Headquarters 1st Division.

24/01/1927

Adjutant and quartermaster SUS.

14/12/1930

Appointed captain.

1932-11-11 - 1934-06-05

Aide de camp to New South Wales Governor.

1934-07-01 - 1934-09-30

Adjutant and quartermaster 26th Battalion.

01/11/1934

Adjutant and quartermaster 15/26th Battalion.

1935-11-15 - 1938-03-24

Course Staff College, Camberly.

19/04/1938

Attached A Branch, Army Headquarters.

01/09/1938

Staff captain A Branch, Army Headquarters.

13/10/1939

Seconded major 2/1st Battalion and brigade major 16th Brigade on the same day.

20/12/1940

Appointed general service officer grade 2 Operations Headquarters, 6th Division.

1941-04-08 - 1941-05-30

Returned to unit, 2/1st Battalion and appointed temporary lieutenant colonel and commanding officer.

1941-01-07 - 1941-01-17

Attached 2/5th Battalion.

07/03/1941

Companion of the Distinguished Service Order 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during the period from 21st December 1940 to 4th January 1941 which period embraced the preparations for, and the capture of Bardia. During the preparation period in the face of the enemy and under enemy fire, this officer continually patrolled the area selected as the point of entry for the attack. His accurate and daring reconnaissance contributed largely to the selection of the Brigade Assembly Area and start line. He was responsible for taping the Assembly Area and also the start line on the night prior to the attack, and the success of the attack was greatly due to the thoroughness in which this job was done. During the attack, on 3rd and 4th January 1941, his behaviour under fire was exemplary, and each day he repeatedly contacted the Commanding Officers while under heavy fire, conveyed instructions, and by his own initiative directed the course of the battle according to plan. His presence on the battlefield was an inspiration, and considerably helped to prosecute the momentum of the attack.'

30/05/1941

Date of capture

31/05/1941

Campbell became a prisoner of war, held in Retimo.

26/06/1941

Reported missing in action, Crete.

11/12/1942

Mention in Despatches.

1945-05-11 - 1945-09-16

Promoted lieutenant colonel and temporary brigadier commander of AIF Reception Group, United Kingdom.

12/04/1945

Date of fate

14/04/1945

Campbell was reported to be safe in Allied hands.

16/09/1945

Relinquished command AIF Reception Group.

21/10/1945

Returned to Adelaide.

19/11/1945

Appointed deputy adjutant general (I), A Branch deputy adjutant general, Headquarters AMF.

29/08/1946

Bar to Distinguished Service Order. 'Lt-Col. CAMPBELL was in command of a force of two AIF Bns at RETIMO CRETE in May 41. The role of this group was the denial of the RETIMO airstrip to the enemy. On 20 May a force of 1300-1500 paratroops was dropped to both flanks of and on top of the Australians. The Germans had powerful air support, and the Australians were isolated from the start from the rest of the garrison of Crete. Lt-Col CAMPBELL remained in command during ten days continuous and at times bitter hand to hand fighting. The Australians, with little ammunition and fighting largely with captured weapons, towards the end on quarter rations, attacked the enemy so persistently that by May 30 less than 130 Germans were still able to fight, 9 planes had been shot down by SA fire plus several others severely damaged. On 31 May the enemy was heavily reinforced from Suda Bay with tanks and artillery. Our force, its supplies exhausted, but its task till then fulfilled, was forced to surrender. Throughout the fighting, Lt-Col. CAMPBELL set an inspiring personal example and kept the morale of his troops at a high level. On May 21 he personally organised and commanded a most successful two company attack by 2/1 Bn, which largely due to his leadership recovered an important ridge lost the previous day. Lt-Col. CAMPBELL was captured on May 31.'

30/09/1946

Appointed lieutenant colonel, Staff Corps.

01/03/1947

Appointed director of Military Training , G Branch, director of Military Training, A Headquarters and honarary brigadier.

18/10/1948

Appointed colonel, Australian Staff Corps.

01/01/1949

Appointed temporary brigadier, commander 34th Brigade.

20/05/1949

Brigade redesignated to 1st Brigade.

22/07/1951

Transferred to Unattached List, Eastern Command.

27/08/1951

Command Australian Military Force Company, Korea, and Brigadier in command, Administering Headquarters, British Commonwealth Occupation Force.

15/12/1951

Command Australian Military Force Company British Commonwealth Occupation Forces Korea.

15/05/1952

Appointed temporary brigadier, Australian Staff Corps.

11/07/1952

Appointed to command Australian Army Company British Commonwealth Occupation Forces Korea.

02/11/1952

Appointed brigadier, Australian Staff Corps.

14/08/1953

Appointed commandant Australian Staff College.

24/05/1954

Appointed commandant Royal Military College.

25/05/1954

Appointed temporary major general, Australian Staff Corps.

13/09/1954

Appointed major general.

23/03/1957

Transferred to the Retired List.