Pte William Edward Campbell 44 Bn CEF d.23/8/17

[Will O'Brien]

As per CWGC

Name: CAMPBELL, WILLIAM EDWARD

Initials: W E

Nationality: Canadian

Rank: Private

Regiment: Canadian Infantry (New Brunswick Regt.)

Unit Text: 44th Bn.

Date of Death: 23/08/1917

Service No: 865607

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Cemetery: VIMY MEMORIAL

[Will O'Brien]

& the memorial info

Cemetery: VIMY MEMORIAL

Country: France

Locality: Pas de Calais

Visiting Information: The land for the battlefield park was "the free gift in perpetuity of the French nation to the people of Canada". Eleven thousand tonnes of concrete and masonry were required for the base of the memorial and 5,500 tonnes of "trau" stone were brought from Yugoslavia for the pylons and the sculptured figures. Construction of the massive work began in 1925, and 11 years later, on 26 July 1936, the monument was unveiled by King Edward VIII. In the park around the memorial are restored and preserved trenches and tunnels. It is recommended by the Visitors Centre at Vimy that visitors wishing to view the tunnels should pre-book tours. To make a booking, please contact The Interpretation Centre at Vimy: Tel: 03 21 58 19 34, Fax: 03 21 58 58 34. Visitors who turn up without pre-booking will still be able to view the tunnels, but on very busy days this could mean a long wait.

Location Information: The Vimy Memorial overlooks the Douai Plain from the highest point of Vimy Ridge, about eight kilometres northeast of Arras on the N17 towards Lens. The memorial is signposted from this road to the left, just before you enter the village of Vimy from the south. The memorial itself is someway inside the memorial park, but again it is well signposted.

Historical Information: On the opening day of the Battle of Arras, 9 April 1917, the four divisions of the Canadian Corps, fighting side by side for the first time, scored a huge tactical victory in the capture of the 60 metre high Vimy Ridge. After the war, the highest point of the ridge was chosen as the site of the great memorial to all Canadians who served their country in battle during the First World War, and particularly to the 60,000 who gave their lives in France. It also bears the names of 11,000 Canadian servicemen who died in France - many of them in the fight for Vimy Ridge - who have no known grave. The memorial was designed by W S Allward.

No. of Identified Casualties: 11167

[Will O'Brien]

William Campbell's Attestation Papers are available online on the excellent Canadian site..............Here are just a few snippets from them

William was born in Watertown, Minnisota USA on 31st January 1895.

He joined up on 22nd May 1916, enlisting in Brandon Manitoba & gave his occupation as being a Farmer. He was single, 5 feet 9 inches in height, had a dark complexion, brown eyes & black hair. William was also a Roman Catholic.

[Broznitsky]

William joined the 181st (Brandon) Battalion in May 1916, the 181st sailed in April 1917, he wound up with the 44th Manitoba Battalion, and he perished August 23rd at the Green Crassier and Alpaca Trench, just outside Lens.

The 44th lost 23 KIA, 116 WIA, and 118 missing that day. The Germans would not allow stretcher parties to go forward. Doubtless many men bled to death in No Man's Land. 88 men became POWs after the Green Crassier, occupied by the 44th, was cut-off.