Private First Class Donald B Campbell
Donald Burton Campbell was born on April 28th, 1897 in Brooklyn, New York to Edward and Carrie Campbell (Williams). He would soon be joined by a sister in 1900. Campbell attended school until enlisting in the US Army on April 16th, 1917, 10 days after America formally entered WW1. He would join Troop L, 1st Cavalry of the New York National Guard until October 17th, 1917, when he and everyone else of Troop L, were transferred to create Company B of the newly formed 106th Machine Gun Battalion of the 27th Infantry Division, which would be the unit he would serve with for the rest of the war. After continuous stateside training for over four months, the 106th was mobilized, and Campbell and his unit left for France on May 10th, 1918 aboard the Antigone. Company B arrived in Brest, France on the 23rd, and from there began their journey to the front. Campbell and the company arrived in Rue on March 30th, where over the course of the next 3 weeks, they would be issued their steel helmets, gas masks, and Vickers machine guns. In addition, the 106th MG Battalion participated in the first review of the 27th Infantry Division on June 13th, and realized soon after that they would be working alongside the British. Finally, Company B and Pvt Campbell arrived at Beauvoorde Woods on July 7th as part of a reserve force until the 16th, and then returned on July 25th. Suddenly, one half of the company was ordered by the British to occupy positions on the East Poperinghe Line, which was the support line to the front trench system. While sharing these trenches with their British allies, the Germans lobbed shells into their positions daily, but they were not deemed important enough to warrant heavier shelling.
After a week at the support line, the entire company moved to the village of Godewarsvelde, were divided into new squads, and marched to the front line on August 2nd, 1918 to relieve the 53rd Brigade, and took over the British machine gun positions with their own guns. While at the front, the 4th anniversary of the outbreak of the war was recognized by both the British and the Germans in their sector. Each side took their turn launching a massive display of firepower at each other until resuming their regular intermittent firing. On the night of August 6th, Campbell and the Company were relieved from the front and marched back to Beauvoorde Woods, having suffered only 2 casualties, neither being fatal. Their next big assignment would be to participate in the assault on the Hindenburg Line to force the Germans to retreat from their strong positions between Cambrai and St. Quentin on the British front. On September 26th, 1918, Campbell and the 106th MG Battalion began their march to the front lines, needing enough equipment to force them to take two trips. The attack kicked off the next day, with British, American, and Australian troops advancing side by side into murderous machine gun and artillery fire. For the next 48 hours, allied artillery pounded incessantly at the German line to prevent a counterattack and to soften their defenses for a big push. Finally, at 5:45 AM on September 29th, Campbell, the 106th MG Battalion, and the allies let loose a massive barrage with every gun of any size and caliber at the German line, in which the German’s replied with one of their own. Once the barrage lifted, the allies went over the top and broke through the Hindenburg Line, forcing the German’s to retreat.
After securing the line, Company B marched through the landscape, once occupied by the Germans only a few days prior, to the front lines near La Sabliere Woods. On October 13th, Campbell and the company were relieved from the line and ordered to St. Souplet, which they achieved under artillery fire. Once in the city, the company dodged mortar fire until crossing the LeSelle River and taking shelter behind a hill located a hundred yards from the bank. After a short rest, the company continued to advance behind the attacking infantry as support. Campbell continued to carry out this job until the 18th, when they were relieved from the line and marched to Vaire, a small town on the Somme canal, for much needed rest. Unlike their other rest stops, Vaire was enjoyed by all men of the company. This likely correlates with the fact that Company B received news of the Armistice on November 11th, 1918. For Campbell, this would mark the end of his WW1 service, yet returning home was still a ways away. After spending 3 months at the French town of Connerré, Company B finally left the town on February 23rd 1919, for Brest, France and left for home on March 5th, arriving 13 days later in Hoboken, New Jersey. The Company then participated in the Brooklyn parade, and the famous 27th Infantry Division Parade up 5th Avenue on March 25th. Soon afterwards, he would be discharged on April 2nd, 1919 and returned home to Brooklyn. He would move to Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania and marry Sophia Hughes, who tragically died at the young age of 33 not long after they married, and remarried Doris Northcliffe in 1934. Donald Campbell would eventually pass away on November 8th, 1989 in Pennsylvania after living a long life.
After a week at the support line, the entire company moved to the village of Godewarsvelde, were divided into new squads, and marched to the front line on August 2nd, 1918 to relieve the 53rd Brigade, and took over the British machine gun positions with their own guns. While at the front, the 4th anniversary of the outbreak of the war was recognized by both the British and the Germans in their sector. Each side took their turn launching a massive display of firepower at each other until resuming their regular intermittent firing. On the night of August 6th, Campbell and the Company were relieved from the front and marched back to Beauvoorde Woods, having suffered only 2 casualties, neither being fatal. Their next big assignment would be to participate in the assault on the Hindenburg Line to force the Germans to retreat from their strong positions between Cambrai and St. Quentin on the British front. On September 26th, 1918, Campbell and the 106th MG Battalion began their march to the front lines, needing enough equipment to force them to take two trips. The attack kicked off the next day, with British, American, and Australian troops advancing side by side into murderous machine gun and artillery fire. For the next 48 hours, allied artillery pounded incessantly at the German line to prevent a counterattack and to soften their defenses for a big push. Finally, at 5:45 AM on September 29th, Campbell, the 106th MG Battalion, and the allies let loose a massive barrage with every gun of any size and caliber at the German line, in which the German’s replied with one of their own. Once the barrage lifted, the allies went over the top and broke through the Hindenburg Line, forcing the German’s to retreat.
After securing the line, Company B marched through the landscape, once occupied by the Germans only a few days prior, to the front lines near La Sabliere Woods. On October 13th, Campbell and the company were relieved from the line and ordered to St. Souplet, which they achieved under artillery fire. Once in the city, the company dodged mortar fire until crossing the LeSelle River and taking shelter behind a hill located a hundred yards from the bank. After a short rest, the company continued to advance behind the attacking infantry as support. Campbell continued to carry out this job until the 18th, when they were relieved from the line and marched to Vaire, a small town on the Somme canal, for much needed rest. Unlike their other rest stops, Vaire was enjoyed by all men of the company. This likely correlates with the fact that Company B received news of the Armistice on November 11th, 1918. For Campbell, this would mark the end of his WW1 service, yet returning home was still a ways away. After spending 3 months at the French town of Connerré, Company B finally left the town on February 23rd 1919, for Brest, France and left for home on March 5th, arriving 13 days later in Hoboken, New Jersey. The Company then participated in the Brooklyn parade, and the famous 27th Infantry Division Parade up 5th Avenue on March 25th. Soon afterwards, he would be discharged on April 2nd, 1919 and returned home to Brooklyn. He would move to Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania and marry Sophia Hughes, who tragically died at the young age of 33 not long after they married, and remarried Doris Northcliffe in 1934. Donald Campbell would eventually pass away on November 8th, 1989 in Pennsylvania after living a long life.