Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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6977628   Fusilier William Thomas Campbell
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Dated added: 30/12/2015   Last updated: 12/09/2020
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth: 17/01/1917
Died: 10/04/1942 (Died on Active Sevice)
Age: 25
Summary      
William Campbell was the son of William and Rachel Campbell. He was born near Ballyronan in 1917. He was one of at least five children. William enlisted in Omagh on 29th January 1934. Fusilier William Campbell was serving with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he died on active service on 10th April 1942.
Fusilier William Thomas Campbell
Further Information
William Campbell was the son of William and Rachel Campbell. William Campbell and Rachel Speer were married on 13th February 1906 in the district of Magherafelt.
The 1911 census has a possible listing of the family living at house 33 in Drumenagh, Ballyronan. His father was a farm labourer.
William Thomas Campbell was born near Ballyronan, on 17th January 1917. He was one of at least five children.
Known family: William Campbell, Rachel Campbell, Margaret Campbell (born 19th March 1908, died 19th April 1908), Mary Ann Campbell 2 (born 4th January 1909), Dawson Campbell (born 21st September 1910), Agnes Campbell (born 12th July 1914), William Thomas Campbell (17th January 1917, Ballyronan).
William Campbell enlisted in Omagh on 29th January 1934.
The following letter, dated 8th August 1939, gives an indication to his sense of humour:
'Dear Mother, In answer to your last two letters and which I was glad to get, glad to see you are all keeping well as this leaves me just as usual. Well mother, Mary must have kept her marriage a bit of a secret, for Tillie was telling me in the last letter that she thought she was getting married. So I see she has now already done so. Dawson never writes or neither does Mary so you see I will have no bother calling her by her new name, but I would like a letter from Dawson very much. The time here is very dull and I am beginning to think my time long of going in, it is just like home here plenty of rain and cold weather and nowhere to go and it gets a fellow like me down being used to plenty of life. You need not be scared of me getting married for I think that I will remain single as I am still pretty much of a woman hater and they always get a fellow in a lot of trouble. Well mother, it is just a little bit chancy yet whether I get home this year or not but they have got to let me home next year. I hope that it all goes well and Hitler does not declare war before that. I hear that fags are very dear at home now, I don’t know what a fellow will do for smokes around here now. I have had no reply as yet from Tillie and I was expecting one from her before I got yours, but you answered first. Tell Mary I said to drop me a line sometime and let me know how she is keeping. Well mother, I will have to close as this is all at present, so write soon. From Willie to mother, with love. Xxx
1942
Fusilier William Campbell was serving with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he died on active service on 10th April 1942.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 29th August 1942:
CAMPBELL – April 1942, William Thomas Campbell, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, son of the late William Campbell and Mrs Glendinning, Ballyronan, Deeply regretted by his sorrowing brother and sister-in-law, Duneane, Randalstown.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 29th August 1942:
CAMPBELL – April 1942, William Thomas Campbell, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, son of the late William Campbell and Mrs Glendinning, Ballyronan, Deeply regretted by his sorrowing mother, step-father, sisters and brother-in-law.
1944
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 8th April 1944:
CAMPBELL – Accidentally killed on foreign service, April 1942, William Thomas Campbell, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
‘Sweet is your memory nearest our heart
Our love and your memory never shall part
We know that the years, be they many or few,
Will be years of remembrance of you.’
Ever remembered by his sorrowing mother, step-father, sisters and brother-in-law. Ballyronan.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 8th April 1944:
CAMPBELL – Accidentally killed on foreign service, April 1942, William Thomas Campbell, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
‘Over there he sleeps with the brave
No tears of ours can fall on his grave
Unknown to the world, he stands by our side
And whispers in the silence – ‘Death Cannot Divide’
Ever remembered by his sorrowing brother and sister-in-law, nephew and niece. Duneane, Randalstown.
1945
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 21st April 1945:
CAMPBELL – Accidentally killed on foreign service, April 1942, William Thomas Campbell, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
‘Too far away your grave to see,
But not too far away to think of thee.’
Ever remembered by his sorrowing mother, step-father, sisters and brother-in-law. Ballyronan.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 21st April 1945:
CAMPBELL – Accidentally killed on foreign service, April 1942, William Thomas Campbell, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Memories will ever remain. Ever remembered by his sorrowing brother and sister-in-law, nephew and niece. Duneane, Randalstown.
1946
From the Mid-Ulster Mail, unknown date in 1946.
We, who loved you, sadly miss you as it dawns another year."
"Not a day do we forget you, in our hearts you are always near,
Submitted by his family, Ballyronan and Duneane, Randalstown.
Fusilier William Campbell has no known grave and is commemorated on face 11 on the Rangoon Memorial in Myanmar.
The CWGC record Fusilier William Campbell as the son of William and Rachel Campbell.
Read more
Relevant Cookstown Area Locations
No Location Region Location Notes Longtitude Latitude
1 Ballyronan Loop-Ballyronan Born near Ballyronan 54.706821 -6.535575
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 1911 Census lists Campbell family Possible listing of the family at house 33 in Drumenagh, Ballyronan, Londonderry
Cookstown District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2010-2023