Australian Military Units

332 (VX12722, VX21) Major General Ian Ross Campbell, DSO & Bar

Date of birth1900-03-23 Moss Vale, NSW 
Date and unit at enlinstment (ORs)  1919-03-26  Inducted C Staff captain, Royal Military College. 
Date commissioned  1922-12-14  Graduated from Royal Military College. Appointed lieutenant. 
Other  1923-08-20  Adjutant and quartermaster 36th Battalion. 
Other  1926-09-09 - 1926-11-03  Training in India Scots Fusi. 
Other  1926-11-04  Attached Headquarters 1st Division. 
Other  1927-01-24  Adjutant and quartermaster SUS. 
Date promoted  1930-12-14  Appointed captain. 
Other  1932-11-11 - 1934-06-05  Aide de camp to New South Wales Governor. 
Other units  1934-07-01 - 1934-09-30  Adjutant and quartermaster 26th Battalion. 
Other units  1934-11-01  Adjutant and quartermaster 15/26th Battalion. 
Other  1935-11-15 - 1938-03-24  Course Staff College, Camberly. 
Other  1938-04-19  Attached A Branch, Army Headquarters. 
Other  1938-09-01  Staff captain A Branch, Army Headquarters. 
Other units  1939-10-13  Seconded major 2/1st Battalion and brigade major 16th Brigade on the same day. 
Other  1940-12-20  Appointed general service officer grade 2 Operations Headquarters, 6th Division. 
Other units  1941-01-07 - 1941-01-17  Attached 2/5th Battalion. 
Date of honour or award  1941-03-07  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.' 
Other units  1941-04-08 - 1941-05-30  Returned to unit, 2/1st Battalion and appointed temporary lieutenant colonel and commanding officer. 
Date captured  1941-05-31  Campbell became a prisoner of war, held in Retimo. 
Other  1941-06-26  Reported missing in action, Crete. 
Date of honour or award  1942-12-11  Mention in Despatches. 
Other  1945-04-14  Campbell was reported to be safe in Allied hands. 
Date promoted  1945-05-11 - 1945-09-16  Promoted lieutenant colonel and temporary brigadier commander of AIF Reception Group, United Kingdom. 
Other  1945-09-16  Relinquished command AIF Reception Group. 
Date returned to Australia  1945-10-21  Returned to Adelaide. 
Other  1945-11-19  Appointed deputy adjutant general (I), A Branch deputy adjutant general, Headquarters AMF. 
Date of honour or award  1946-08-29  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.' 
Other  1946-09-30  Appointed lieutenant colonel, Staff Corps. 
Other  1947-03-01  Appointed director of Military Training , G Branch, director of Military Training, A Headquarters and honarary brigadier. 
Date promoted  1948-10-18  Appointed colonel, Australian Staff Corps. 
Other  1949-01-01  Appointed temporary brigadier, commander 34th Brigade. 
Other  1949-05-20  Brigade redesignated to 1st Brigade. 
Other  1951-07-22  Transferred to Unattached List, Eastern Command. 
Other  1951-08-27  Command Australian Military Force Company, Korea, and Brigadier in command, Administering Headquarters, British Commonwealth Occupation Force. 
Other  1951-12-15  Command Australian Military Force Company British Commonwealth Occupation Forces Korea. 
Other  1952-05-15  Appointed temporary brigadier, Australian Staff Corps. 
Other  1952-07-11  Appointed to command Australian Army Company British Commonwealth Occupation Forces Korea. 
Date promoted  1952-11-02  Appointed brigadier, Australian Staff Corps. 
Other  1953-08-14  Appointed commandant Australian Staff College. 
Other  1954-05-24  Appointed commandant Royal Military College. 
Other  1954-05-25  Appointed temporary major general, Australian Staff Corps. 
Date promoted  1954-09-13  Appointed major general. 
Date of discharge  1957-03-23  Transferred to the Retired List. 
Other  c 1941-04-02  Arrived Greece.