People Australia

Gordon Carmichael Cameron, c 1917 photographer unknown

from Bank of NSW Roll of Honour

GORDON CARMICHAEL CAMERON was born at Murrumbong, Mossgiel, New South Wales, on 14th February, 1887, the son of Mr. Alexander Lea Paul Cameron and Mrs. Agnes Cameron. He was educated at the Superior Public School, Stanmore, and the Sydney Grammar School. He joined the Bank’s service at Head Office on 22nd August, 1905. He was transferred to the Southern Branch (Sydney) in October, 1906: to the William Street Branch in January, 1908; to Ashfield, as ledger-keeper, in July, 1909; to Dulwich Hill, as assistant, in February, 1910. In the following July he was sent to Fremantle, Western Australia, where he acted as ledger-keeper for a time. In the following February he was sent to Coolgardie, and in July, 1913, he returned to Head Office.

Gordon Carmichael Cameron enlisted on 29th November, 1915, and left Australia in the following year. He was promoted to sergeant in December, 1915; to second-lieutenant in May, 1916; and to lieutenant on 16th October, 1917. He served in France from 1st July, 1917, and was in action near Ypres, where on 21st September, he lost his left eye. For three months he was in hospital at Treport, Reading and Wandsworth; thence he was appointed to No. 1 Command Depot as Company Commander in December, 1917. He was wing adjutant for some months until appointed camp adjutant on 26th November, 1918. He was transferred to the A.I.F. Headquarters in February, 1919, and returned to Australia at the end of the following November.

Gordon Cameron was awarded the Military Cross in October, 1918. The official statement of the conduct which won his decoration is as follows:—“He led his platoon against a strongly fortified position with great calmness and daring and although suffering casualties he re-organized the remainder and gained his objective. He then personally led a squad of men against an enemy machine-gun position, captured the gun and killed the crew. Afterwards, while consolidating, he set a fine example by his courage and coolness, until he was finally wounded in the head.”