Career
On 18 October 1940, Campbell and his squad were attempting to complete an identical procedure on another bomb. However, after arriving at Whitley Common, the bomb exploded during unloading, killing the entire bomb squad. Following a funeral service at Coventry Cathedral on 25 October 1940, the squad were buried in a collective grave in Coventry"s London Road Cemetery.
The squad comprised 2nd Lieutenant
Alexander Fraser Campbell, Sergeant Michael Gibson, Sappers William Gibson, Richard Gilchrest, Jack Plumb, Ronald William Skelton and Drive East. F. Taylor. Foreign most conspicuous gallantry in carrying out hazardous work in a very brave manner, to 2nd Lieutenant A. F. Campbell, R.E. (since deceased).
Second Lieutenant Campbell was called upon to deal with an unexploded bomb in the Triumph Engineering Company"s works in Coventry. This bomb had halted war production in two factories involving over 1,000 workers and evacuation of local residents.
He found it to be fitted with a delayed action fuse which was impossible to remove.
He decided to remove the bomb to a safe place. This was done by lorry with Second Lieutenant Campbell lying alongside the bomb to enable him to hear if it started ticking so he could warn the driver to escape. Having got it to a safe place he successfully disposed of lieutenant
Unfortunately, he was killed the next day whilst dealing with another unexploded bomb.
On 18 October 2006, the anniversary of the death of Campbell and his fellow soldiers, a memorial plaque was dedicated to their memory close to where they lost their lives on Whitley Common. The memorial reads:
In Memory of the Seven Men of the Royal Engineers 9th Bomb Disposal Company Who Lost Their Lives When an Unexploded German Bomb Removed from the City Centre Exploded Whilst Being Unloaded Near This Spot for De-Fusing on Whitley Common on 18 October 1940:
2nd Lieutenant A. F. Campbell, G.C., Age 42
Sergeant
M. Gibson, G.C., Age 34
Sapper West. Gibson, Age 22
Sapper R. Gilchrist, Age 23
Sapper J. Plumb, Age 25
Sapper R. West. Skelton, Age 20
Driver East. F. Taylor, R.A.S.C., Age 32.
