Campbell, Peter

Details
Category: 1915-16

Peter Campbell

camerons

6th Batt. Cameron Highlanders. He is remembered with honour on the Scottish National War Memorial, Glasgow University Roll of Honour,
Glasgow Education Memorial to Teachers, the Glasgow Provincial Training College Memorial, Dovehill Primary School Memorial, St Columba’s memorial and the Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 1 Line 13.

The family home was at 5 James Street, Helensburgh
The son of James (postman) and Margaret Packman Campbell.
Siblings: His older brother, James, was in the machine gun section of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

Peter Campbell was born in Helensburgh, where his father was a postman who also served in the war. He was educated Hermitage Higher Grade School and later went on to the University of Glasgow from 1909- 1912.

He gained a first-class Certificate of Merit for Logic and Metaphysics and went on to graduate with an MA at the age of 22. He then took a teacher training course at Glasgow Provincial Training College and taught at Dovehill Primary School before enlisting.

Peter was not to return to his promising teaching career as he died, aged 25, of wounds and gas poisoning at the Battle of Hill 70, near Lens, Nord, France during the Third Battle of Ypres. He is buried less than fifty kilometres from his cousin Ian Stewart Campbell. His parents chose the inscription: ‘Home is the sailor from sea and the hunter home from the hill’ for his gravestone.

The Battle of Hill 70 took place on the outskirts of Lens in the Nord region of France from 15th-25th August, 1917. Cameron Highlanders joined the Canadian Corps to assault and draw German troops from the 3rd Battle of Ypres.