Harold George Campbell

From The Dreadnought Project
Jump to: navigation, search

Captain (retired) SIR Harold George Campbell, K.C.V.O., D.S.O. (6 April, 1888 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy. He commanded one of the Mersey ferries involved in landing troops for the Zeebrugge Raid, and later served as Equerry and Groom to the King.

Life & Career

Campbell gained two and a half months' time on passing out of Britannia. His early service was in Ariadne from 1904-05, Venerable for two years from August, 1905, then Prince of Wales at the end of 1907. In early 1908, Campbell failed Part I and was appointed to London of the Home Fleet from 1 February 1908 to 21 April, 1908. He then passed Part I of his examinations.[1]

In December 1908, Campbell missed a gunnery examination owing to illness, but he got a second class certificate in February 1909. In August of 1909, his name was noted for submarine service, and in October he gained his watchkeeping certificate and was appointed to the armoured cruiser Achilles. At the end of the year, Campbell requested that his name be removed from the list of volunteers for submarine service.[2]

Campbell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 October, 1910.[3]

Campbell was appointed Lieutenant & Commander of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 110 on 9 March, 1912.[4]

Campbell was appointed in command of the destroyer Conflict on 19 August, 1913.[5]

In February, 1918, Campbell applied for command of a destroyer, a role for which Rear-Admiral Nichols thought him "exceptionally suitable." He was appointed in command of Liberty later that month, but remained just two days before he was assigned to navigate the double-bottomed Mersey ferry Daffodil to participate in the Zeebrugge Raid of 23 April, 1918. Campbell was slightly wounded in the naval attack, in which Daffodil landed 1,500 raiders and pressed Vindictive against the Mole to press home the assault. Amazingly, Daffodil lost just one man in the operation. Campbell was ballotted for V.C.s awarded in the operation, and was mentioned in despatches.[6][7][8]

Campbell was appointed in command of the destroyer Sikh on 25 May, 1918.[9]

Campbell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 1 October, 1918.[10]

Post-War

On 1 May 1919, Campbell was appointed to the depot ship Alexandra and was re-appointed upon his promotion to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1921.[11]

In July 1922, Campbell asked to be retired upon his relief, which occurred on 15 October, 1922. On 25 February, 1924, Campbell was made Acting Equerry to H.R.H. The Duke of York.

On 1 September 1933, Campbell was appointed Private Secretary and Equerry to H.R.H. The Duke of York. In 1936, he resigned as Private Secretary and became Deputy Comptroller, retaining his role as Equerry. On 2 March 1937, he was made Groom of the Robes and Groom in Waiting to H.M. The King's Household.[12]

World War II

In 1939, it was decided that Campbell's role as Equerry to the King would prevent his service, but he was granted the acting rank of Captain on 25 September 1942. Campbell was promoted to the rank of Captain on 8 May, 1946.[13]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Montague R. Bernard
Captain of H.M. T.B. 068
9 Aug, 1911[14] – 5 Jan, 1912[15]
Succeeded by
Robert J. Harness
Preceded by
Robert J. Harness
Captain of H.M. T.B. 82
5 Jan, 1912[16] – 9 Mar, 1912[17]
Succeeded by
Walter A. Rose
Preceded by
Kenneth C. Helyar
Captain of H.M. T.B. 110
9 Mar, 1912[18][19] – 4 Jul, 1913[20]
Succeeded by
William O. Hozier
Preceded by
Leonard P. Vavasour
Captain of H.M.S. Conflict
19 Aug, 1913[21][22] – Jun, 1914[23]
Succeeded by
Alan F. W. Howard
Preceded by
Philip W. S. King
Captain of H.M.S. Lurcher
Jun, 1914[24] – 3 Aug, 1914[25]
Succeeded by
Wilfred Tomkinson
Preceded by
Colin S. Thomson
Captain of H.M.S. Liberty
23 Feb, 1918[26] – 25 Feb, 1918[27]
Succeeded by
Humphrey B. Jacomb
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Sikh
25 May, 1918[28] – 15 Apr, 1919[29]
Succeeded by
Geoffrey S. Holden
Preceded by
Eldred S. Brooksmith
Superintendent of Anti-Gas Training, Portsmouth
12 Dec, 1921[30] – 11 Sep, 1922[31]
Succeeded by
Cuthbert H. Heath-Caldwell

Footnotes

  1. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  2. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  3. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 13.
  4. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 401.
  5. The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 297.
  6. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  7. Naval Operations. Vol. V. pp. 244, 249-65.
  8. Kindell. Royal Navy Roll of Honour Part 2. p. 489.
  9. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 907.
  10. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  11. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  12. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  13. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  14. The Navy List. (January, 1912). p. 401. His service record gives the date 21 October.
  15. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  16. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  17. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  18. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  19. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 401.
  20. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  21. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  22. The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 297.
  23. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  24. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  25. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  26. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  27. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  28. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 907.
  29. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  30. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.
  31. Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/278. f. 293.