Biographical Data

Campbell, V.L.A.

Personal Image

Photo Credit: Unknown

 
 
Title Captain (RN)
Official Number
 
Birth 30/08/1875 Death 19/11/1956
Place Brighton Place Corner Brook
Area Area NL
Country UK Country Canada
 
Titles
Honours OBE; DSO & Bar; Polar Medal; M.I.D.
Awards
Qualifications
 
Biography
Before his naval service he entered the merchant marine and sailed four times around Cape Horn in a windjammer. He served in the sailing ship flagship of the North Atlantic Squadron, which plied Newfoundland waters before the turn of the century, and he carried out a naval survey there. He remained in Newfoundland and the North Atlantic until asked by Scott in 1911 to command the Terra Nova, then being fitted out in Christ Church, N.Z., for the Antarctic. In 1910, he was First Officer on Robert Falcon Scott's Terra Nova expedition. After arriving in Antarctica in January 1911, his role was to lead an Eastern party of 6 men to explore and carry out scientific work in King Edward VII Land, to the east of the Barrier. On 26 January 1911, Campbell's party left in the Terra Nova and headed east. After failing to find a suitable landing site on the King Edward VII Land shore, Campbell decided to sail to Victoria Land. On its return westward, Terra Nova encountered Roald Amundsen's expedition camped in the Bay of Whales, an inlet in the Barrier. After the death of Scott, as senior surviving naval officer, he assumed command of the Terra Nova expedition. He emigrated to Newfoundland in 1922.
 
Military Service
He was appointed as a Lieutenant (Emergency List) RN. He was appointed as a Commander RN. In 1915 he served at Gallipoli and the Dardenelles as Commanding Officer of the Drake Battalion of the Royal Naval Division - receiving the DSO. He was appointed as a Captain RN. He served in Archangel (Russian Civil War) 1919. (He was demobilized 1923.) (He was mobilized for Second World War Service). He served in Trinidad as Senior Naval Officer-in-Charge 1939-1941. Malaria, forced his retirement until 1942 when the submarine menace threatened Corner Brook shipping. He volunteered for the RCN but was turned down. He served as Senior Officer-in-Charge of the Bay of Islands Patrol Force, or as it was popularly known "The Corner Brook NavYl" When the force was disbanded he remained Naval Officer-in-Charge, Corner Brook, until he retired again in 1944. He served as Senior Naval Officer-in-Command Corner Brook Newfoundland. (He was demobilized.)
 
Vessels Owned
Aircraft Flown
Named Features Campbell Glacier (Antarctica); Campbell Glacier Tongue (Antarctica);
 
Anecdotes
In 1910 he served in the British Antarctic Expedition led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott and arrived there in 1911. He was put in command of the Eastern Party and directed to move to explore and carry out scientific work in Edward VII Land. He failed to find a suitable landing place so he carried on to Victoria Land. On his return voyage he encountered Amundsen's Party. His group, redesignated as the Northern Party put ashore near Cape Adare. In 1912 his party was transferred to Evans Cove to undertake geological work. With only four weeks provisions his party was forced to over-winter. The following summer they walked out only to learn on arrival of Captain Scott's death. As the senior surviving naval officer he took command of the expedition in its final weeks. On retirement, Captain Campbell, and his wife Marit, formerly lady-inwaiting to Queen Maude of Norway, settled in Black Duck, Newfoundland, where they lived until, in 1953, they went to Cornerbrook.
 
References
Crowsnest (Vol. 4 #11 September 1952); http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Campbell; Personal Correspondence with George French, Archivist of the Cornerbrook Archives and Museum 2013;
Last update
2010-12-20 18:09:24

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