b. 1981 South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland.
DATE OF CGC ACTION: 2007 Afghanistan.
Donald P Campbell CGC
Donald Campbell was born in South Uist in 1981, and enlisted in the Corps of Royal Engineers. By 2007, the 26 year old father of two found himself in a hostile situation with the Taliban.
He would be awarded the CGC for driving a tractor into an enemy zone while under fire to shore up a ditch, allowing his colleagues to cross. L/Cpl Campbell, 26, from the Royal Engineers said: “I was very shocked and very surprised at the award and still am. “I come from the island of South Uist and when I phoned my mum, I don’t think she really knew what it was about. “I was driving a front-loader, a big civilian tractor with a load of fascines in the bucket and I drove forward under fire to the ditch, but before I could unload, I had to jump out and cut the bindings, the Taliban were shooting, then I had to get back under cover. “At the time I knew that it was something that had to be done and I just thought that it was a good idea.”
Campbell is still in the Army, having now reached the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major.
CGC CITATION:
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Whitehall, London SW1
7th March 2008
The Queen has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards for gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan during the period 1st April to 30th
September 2007:
25114385 Lance Corporal (Acting Corporal) Donald Peter Campbell, Corps of Royal Engineers.
Lieutenant Simon Timothy Cupples (562763), The Mercian Regiment.
25216161 Private Paul Darren Willmott, The Mercian Regiment.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: WITH RECIPIENT.
