James Dobson Campbell
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James Dobson Campbell | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 1891 Lurgan, County Armagh, Ireland |
| Died | 13 November 1970 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Allegiance | New Zealand |
| Service/ | New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Air Force |
| Rank | Lieutenant (Army), Flying Officer (RNZAF) |
| Battles/wars | Gallipoli Campaign |
| Awards | Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), Silver Wolf (Scouts NZ) |
James Dobson Campbell (June 1891 – 13 November 1970) was a New Zealand military officer, aviation trainee, civic leader, and Scouting pioneer. He served at Gallipoli during World War I, trained in early aviation, and later held civic and veterans’ leadership roles in the Cook Islands. He was a key figure in developing Scouting in the South Pacific and was awarded the MBE in 1968.
Early life
Campbell was born in Lurgan, County Armagh, Ireland, in June 1891. He emigrated to New Zealand as a young man, settling with his family in Ponsonby, Auckland.[1]
Military career
World War I
Campbell joined the Auckland Senior Cadets and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1912, promoted in 1914. He enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in December 1914 and was posted to the Auckland Infantry Regiment.[1]
He departed with the 3rd Reinforcements aboard HMNZT No. 18 Tahiti in February 1915 and was deployed to Gallipoli in May. As acting officer of the 16th (Waikato) Company, he was wounded in a grenade attack on 7 June 1915 and evacuated to England.[1]
Aviation and home service
While recovering, Campbell trained in aviation at the Lakes Flying School (Windermere) and Hewlett & Blondeau in England. Returning to New Zealand in 1916, he served as Area Officer (Hamilton), Adjutant (Waikato Regiment), and Instructor at the NZ Flying School.[1]
Civic service in the Cook Islands
In 1919, Campbell became Manager of the Cook Islands Native Association (CINA), promoting economic cooperation among returned servicemen. He formed a lifelong partnership with Upokotiao Nicholas (Manavaroa) of Titikaveka, with whom he had two daughters.[2]
He founded the Cook Islands RSA and served as its president for over a decade, organizing commemorations and parades.[3]
Scouting involvement
Campbell was involved with the Moreporks Scout group in Ponsonby before the war. He helped establish Scouting in the Cook Islands, served as Commissioner, and was appointed Camp Chief for the 1926 Dunedin Jamboree.[4]
He was awarded the Silver Wolf for exceptional service to Scouting.[5]
World War II
At the outbreak of WWII, Campbell proposed a local defence force for Rarotonga. In 1942, he was commissioned as a Flying Officer in the Royal New Zealand Air Force and served in non-combat roles until his retirement in 1951.[6]
Honours and later life
Campbell relocated to New Lynn, Auckland, in the 1960s. In the 1968 Queen’s Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to Scouting. Due to ill health, the Governor-General presented the award at his home.[7]
He died on 13 November 1970 and is memorialised on the Auckland War Memorial Museum’s Online Cenotaph and at St Stephen’s Church, Ponsonby.[8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 New Zealand Defence Force Personnel Files – James Dobson Campbell, National Library of New Zealand
- ↑ "Pacific Islands Monthly Vol. 40, No. 2". Trove. February 1, 1969. p. 122. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ↑ Dixon, Rod. RSA in the Cooks. Cook Islands News, 2019.
- ↑ Otago Witness, Jan 1926
- ↑ Scouting NZ records; Pacific Islands Monthly, Feb 1969
- ↑ New Zealand Gazette, 1951, p.2239
- ↑ London Gazette, 8 June 1968
- ↑ Online Cenotaph, Auckland Museum
External links
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