VALIANT LEADER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 June 1943, Page 4

VALIANT LEADER

HIGHLAND OFFICER WINS VICTORIA CROSS

IN ATTACK ON WAD! AKARIT.

ARGYLLS TAKE AND HOLD

BRIDGEHEAD

(British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) RUGBY, June 8. The Victoria Cross has been awarded to Major (Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel) Lome MacLaine Campbell, D. 5.0., for valour in the attack upon the Wadi Akarit position in Tunisia on April 6. He is a nephew of Vice-Admiral Gordon Campbell, V.C. Admiral

Campbell, who won the V.C. in 1917, was in command of the famous Q mystery ships in the last war.

Colonel Campbell, at the time, was in command of a battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, to whom had been allotted the task of breaking through an enemy minefield and antitank ditch and forming an initial bridgehead for a brigade of the FiftyFirst Highland Division. The battalion had to form up in complete darkness and traverse a main offshoot of the Wadi Akarit at an angle to the line of advance. Despite heavy machine-gun and shell fire in the early stages of the attack, Colonel Campbell successfully accomplished this difficult operation, captured at least 600 prisoners, and led the battalion to its objective, having to cross an unswept portion of the enemy minefield in doing so.

Later, upon reaching the objective, he found that a gap blov.m by the Royal Engineers in the anti-tank ditch did not correspond with the vehicle lane which had been cleared in the minefield. Realising the vital necessity of quickly establishing a gap for the passage of anti-tank guns, he took personal charge of this operation. It was now broad daylight and under very heavy machine-gun and shell fire he succeeded in making a personal reconnaissance and conducting operations which led to the establishment of a vehicle gap. Throughout the day Colonel Campbell held his position with his battalion, in face of extremely heavy and constant shell fire. At about 4.30 p.m., determined enemy counter-attacks began to develop, accompanied by tanks. In this phase. Colonel Campbell’s personality dominated the battlefield by a display of valour and utter disregard for his personal safety which could not have been excelled. Realising that it was imperative for the future success of the Army plans to hold the bridgehead his battalion had captured, he inspired his men by his presence in the forefront of the battle, cheering them on and rallying them as he moved to those points where the fighting was heaviest. When his left forward company was forced to give ground, he went forward alone into a hail of fire and personally reorganised the position, remaining with the company until the attack at this point was held. As reinforcements arrived, he was seen standing in the open, directing the fight under close-range fire from enemy infantry, and he continued so to do, although he was painfully wounded in the neck by shell fire. It was not until the battle died down that he allowed his wound to be dressed. Even then, although in great pain, he refused to be evacuated, remaining with his battalion and continuing to inspire them. Darkness fell with the Argylls still holding their positions, though many of the officers and men were casualties. There is no doubt that but for Colonel Campbell’s determination, splendid example, courage and disregard of pain, the bridgehead would have been lost.

This officer’s gallantry and magnificent leadership when his tired men were charging the enemy with the bayonet and fighting them at handgrenade range, are worthy of the highest honour, and can seldom have been surpassed in the long history of the Highland Brigade.