Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An O.B.E., D.C.M. group of ten miniature dress medals representative of those worn by Lieutenant-Colonel J. A. Campbell, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, later Western Australian Volunteers

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type badge, silver-gilt; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knight of Grace’s breast badge, silver and enamel, with heraldic beasts in angles; Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R.; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 1 clasp, Tel-El-Kebir; British War Medal 1914-20; Jubilee 1897, silver; Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 3rd issue, small letter reverse; Army Meritorious Service Medal, V.R.; Khedive’s Star, dated 1882, mounted for display, nearly very fine and better (10) £160-£200

O.B.E. London Gazette 3 June 1918.

D.C.M. Recommendation submitted to the Queen 11 December 1886 (For gallantry at Tel-el-Kebir, 13 September 1882).

Joseph Alexander Campbell was born at Dublin on 26 October 1842 and attested for the 79th Regiment of Foot on 8 August 1857, sailing for India on the same day. He served in the Mutiny at Fyzabad, Rampore and Oudh; 21 years later, in 1878, he was appointed Regimental Sergeant Major in the new rank of Warrant Officer. He was Mentioned in Despatches for his bravery at Tel-el-Kebir on 13 September 1882 and over four years later his name was submitted to Queen Victoria with a recommendation that he be granted a Distinguished Conduct Medal.

In February 1884 Campbell was appointed Chief of the Instructional Staff, Western Australia, and was promoted to Chief Staff Officer in 1886. He was promoted again to Captain in 1894. He accompanied a detachment of Western Australian Volunteers to Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebrations in London in 1897 as Adjutant and Staff Captain. He subsequently served as a Major in charge of training troops for service in South Africa during the Boer War; he volunteered himself, aged 60, but was rejected. However, two of his sons did serve with the Australian contingent. He retired with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel on 30 September 1902 as Acting Commandant of Commonwealth Military Forces of Western Australia.

During the Great War Campbell again volunteered his services, becoming a Sea Transport Officer and earning the British War Medal at the age of 76. In 1918 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. He died on 18 April 1924, aged 81.

Sold with a photographic image of the recipient; and copied research.