Sweetheart pendant with photograph : Corporal S P Campbell, 2/2 Battalion

Round rose gold and brass pendant containing a black and white photograph of Sydney Peter Campbell. The front has decorative rose gold leaves at the top and bottom which has been soldered onto the front of the pendant. The reverse has a plastic covering which is held in place by a brass circular frame for the placement of a photograph.

This sweetheart pendant has the photograph of NX11478 Sydney Peter Campbell, who was born in Narrabri, NSW, on 7 May 1909. He was working as a grocer when he enlisted in the Second AIF on 28 Mach, 1940, at Paddington, NSW.

Campbell was allocated to the 2/2nd Infantry Battalion. The battalion originally served in the Middle East and Greece, until 11 March 1942, when the battalion was sent to Papua New Guinea to fight against the Japanese.

Campbell was promoted to corporal, on the 7 July, 1942. During the approach to Oivi on 8 November, Campbell was section leader of 12 Platoon. While with the leading section of the company with two forward scouts on a jungle track, Campbell was killed instantly by gun fire from concealed Japanese soldiers. Afterwards a burial service was held by Padre Philip of the 2/2 Battalion at the side of the track where Campbell was killed.

In a letter to Campbell's parents, dated 18 December 1942, his Commanding Officer, Captain I B Ferguson wrote 'If all NCO's were of the calibre of your son, nothing would ever stop the AIF'. After the war Campbell's remains were reinterred at Port Moresby (Bomana) Cemetery.