Gerald Ross Campbell MA was born on 21st July 1858 in Paddington, New South Wales (Australia). He was the eldest son of Scottish emigrants Alexander Campbell, a Sydney businessman and politician, and Sarah Robertson Murray. [1]
He was educated in Scotland at the Royal Academy, Tain, County Ross and Cromarty, and at Craigmount House School, Edinburgh. Gerald returned to Sydney to attend the University of Sydney and graduated Bachelor of Arts (BA) in 1880 with first-class honours in classics. A Master of Arts (MA). followed in 1884. He was admitted to the Bar on 31st October 1882.
Gerald married Mary Stewart on 25th August 1897 in St Cuthbert's Parish Church, Bedfordshire, England. [2] Returning to Sydney to make their home, they had two sons, however, Mary passed away in 1902:
Gerald married again, to Marion Mein on 26th April 1905 in Sydney, New South Wales. [3] They were childless.
Campbell was both a barrister and a soldier. His interest leaned, heavily, towards soldiering more so than the law. He helped to raise the 1st Regiment, New South Wales Scottish Rifles in 1885 and the following year was commissioned as a Captain. Promoted to Major in 1894 and Lieutenant Colonel in 1898, he commanded the regiment until 1907. As Colonel he commanded the Sydney Fortress (Garrison Troops) in 1907-09. He fiercely believed in universal, adult military training and used his legal training and prowess in oratory to gain support of politicians all the way up to Prime Ministers. In 1914, Gerald was appointed to the committee for the selection of officers for the Australian Imperial Force. In 1915 and 1916-17 he served with the Sea Transport Service as officer commanding troops for two voyages to Egypt and England, and retired from the Army as Honorary Brigadier General in 1920.
After the war Gerald lived at The Dell, Moss Vale, in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, where he was largely content to garden and to administer his father's estate.
Aged 84 years, he passed away on 30th November 1942 at Moss Vale, and is buried nearby with his first wife in Bong Bong Presbyterian Cemetery. [4][5]
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Categories: Australia, Barristers | 5th New South Wales Scottish Rifles | 1st New South Wales Scottish Rifles | University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales | Moss Vale, New South Wales | Woollahra, New South Wales | Paddington, New South Wales | Bong Bong Church Cemetery, Moss Vale, New South Wales | Australia, Notables in the Military | Notables