Gordon Campbell (Royal Navy officer)

Gordon Campbell
Born	6 January 1886 Croyden, Surrey
Died	3 July 1953 Isleworth, Middlesex
Buried at	All Saints Churchyard, Crondall
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1900 - 1929
Rank	Vice Admiral
Commands held	HMS Farnborough (Q.5) HMS Dunraven HMS Tiger
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Victoria Cross Distinguished Service Order & Two Bars Croix de Guerre (France) Légion d'honneur
Relations	Sir Edward Campbell, 1st Baronet (brother) Brigadier Lorne MacLaine Campbell VC (nephew)
Other work	Member of Parliament Writer

Vice Admiral Gordon Campbell VC, DSO & Two Bars (6 January 1886 – 3 July 1953) was an English naval officer, later a writer and politician, who was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was also awarded the Croix de Guerre and appointed a chevalier of the Légion d'honneur.^[1]

Early life and career

Born on 6 July 1886, he was educated at Dulwich College, which he attended between 1898 and 1900. He then joined the Royal Navy. In 1917, by the age of 31, he had reached the rank of Commander during First World War when the act for which he was awarded the VC took place. On 17 February 1917 in the north Atlantic, Commander Campbell, commanding HMS Farnborough (Q.5) (one of the "mystery" Q ships) sighted a torpedo track. He altered course and allowed the torpedo to hit Q.5 aft by the engine-room bulkhead. The 'Panic party' got away convincingly, followed by the U-boat. When the submarine had fully surfaced and was within 100 yards of Q.5—badly damaged and now lying very low in the water—the commander gave the order to fire. Almost all of the 45 shells fired hit the U-boat which sank. Q.5 was taken in tow just in time and was safely beached. On 22 March 1916, another U-boat, SM U-68 was sunk by Farnborough.

Campbell also commanded HMS Dunraven during the action of 8 August 1917 when she was sunk by SM UC-71.^[2] Victoria Crosses were awarded to two crewmen who were selected by ballot from amongst the crew of Dunraven, Lieutenant Charles George Bonner and Petty Officer Ernest Herbert Pitcher.

Later life

Campbell later achieved the rank of Vice Admiral. He commanded the battlecruiser HMS Tiger 1925-27 and served as Naval Aide-de-Camp to George V 1928-29. In 1931, he was elected as National Member of Parliament for Burnley, defeating the Labour leader, Arthur Henderson. In 1935, however, standing as a National Liberal, he lost his seat.

Campbell wrote several publications, including the successful My Mystery Ships. His brother, Sir Edward Campbell, was also a Member of Parliament.

His Victoria Cross is held at his old school, Dulwich College.

References

1. ^ A. C. Hampshire, "Campbell, Gordon (1886–1953)", rev. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, October 2006 accessed 21 July 2008
2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC-71". U-Boat War in World War I. Uboat.net. http://uboat.net/wwi/boats/index.html?boat=UC+71. Retrieved 15 April 2009. 

Sources

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• VCs of the First World War - The Naval VCs (Stephen Snelling, 2002)

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Hampshire)
• Find-A-Grave profile for Gordon Campbell
• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Gordon Campbell

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Arthur Henderson	Member of Parliament for Burnley 1931–1935	Succeeded by Wilfrid Burke

Persondata
Name	Campbell, Gordon
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	6 January 1886
Place of birth	Croyden, Surrey
Date of death	3 July 1953
Place of death	Isleworth, Middlesex