Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria. To coincide with the OMRS Convention

Eight: Honorary Lieutenant and Quarter-Master John Campbell, late Regimental Sergeant Major, Royal Dublin Fusiliers

British South Africa Company Medal 1890-97, reverse Rhodesia 1896 (2929 Cr. Sgt., 1/R. Dub. Fus.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-19025 clasps, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek (2929 C. Sgt., Rl. Dublin Fus.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (2929 Qr.-Mr.-Serjt., Rl. Dublin Fus.); 1914-15 Star (13507 S. Mjr., R. Dub. Fus.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Q.M. & Lieut.); Army L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (2929 Q.M. Serjt., Rl. Dublin Fus.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Q.M. Sjt., R.D. Fus.) light contact marks to the earlier medals, otherwise good very fine and a rare group (8) £1200-1500

M.I.D. London Gazette 4 September 1901 (South Africa), 23 June 1902 (South Africa), 28 January 1916 (Gallipoli), 25 May 1917 (France), and 21 December 1917 (France).

M.S.M. Army Order 27 of 1941. L.S. & G.C. Army Order 254 of October 1906.

Colour-Sergeant John Campbell was the senior N.C.O. of the small detachment of Royal Dublin Fusiliers that served with the Mounted Infantry in Rhodesia in 1896. This detachment comprised of two officers and 31 other ranks, under Captain A. J. Godley and later Captain A. F. Pilson. Lieutenant-Colonel E. A. H. Alderson, who commanded the Mounted Infantry of the Mashonaland Field Force, in his report to Sir Frederick Carrington, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., commanding the troops in Rhodesia, said: ‘Of the non-commissioned officers and men I would specially bring to your notice the following:- Colour-Sergeant Campbell proved himself a valuable and reliable Colour Sergeant and did excellent work at all times.’

During the Great War he served with the 8th Battalion in Gallipoli from August 1915, and later in France. An officer said of him in 1914: ‘The R.S.M., J. Campbell, was an old Dublin Fusilier and a typical example of the old regular N.C.O., quiet, impeturbable, knowing everyone and everything, exacting obedience and respect from all, without bullying, but by example and character. He had the most uncanny understanding of the feelings of the subalterns, and many’s the time he has whispered a word of advice or warning about some hasty action one of us was about to take. He has never lost his Scots accent and I have often been amused at C.O.’s orderly room parade to hear him giving the advice in a stage whisper to the malefactors lined up, when the C.O. was approaching, “Staund steady. Staund steady.”