Personal info
- Name: John Vaughan CAMPBELL
- D.O.B: 31st Oct, 1876
- D.O.A: 15th Sep, 1916
- D.O.D: 21st May, 1944
- Award: Victoria Cross
- Occupation at time of action: Temporary Lieutenant Colonel, commanding 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards, 1st Guards Brigade
Near Ginchy, France 15 September 1916
15 September 1916
The First World War 1916
On 15 September 1916 the Guards Division advanced from Ginchy to try to penetrate the German defensive line running north-west from Morval towards Le Sars. The attack pressed forward in the direction of Lesboeufs, to the north of Morval, on the Ginchy-Le Transloy road. Morval itself was captured on 25 September.
Citation
For most conspicuous bravery and able leading in an attack. Seeing that the first two waves of his battalion had been decimated by machine gun and rifle fire he took personal command of the third line, rallied his men with the utmost gallantry, and led them against the enemy machine guns, capturing the guns and killing the personnel. Later in the day, after consultation with other unit commanders, he again rallied the survivors of his battalion, and at a critical moment led them through a very hostile fire barrage against the objective. He was one of the first to enter the enemy trench. His personal gallantry and initiative at a very critical moment turned the fortunes of the day and enabled the division to press on and capture objectives of the highest tactical importance.
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