WAR held little glory for Bruce Campbell according to his daughter and biographer Cate Davis.
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Grandson of Alexander and Catherine Campbell, Bruce had a rich connection to the history of Inverell. Owner of Inverell Station, Alexander is known as the man who gave Inverell its name.
Bruce was born on Inverell Station and worked in the local bank until leaving to fight in World War I. He would go on to become an officer after refusing the promotion twice, later hiding his status in World War II to avoid the responsibility.
Many years later, his daughter Cate discovered Bruce’s war diaries, and was inspired to write From Gallipoli to Coopers Creek. “I'd like to stress that it's not about the glory of war, that's really important to me,” Cate said.
“It's about what the war did to him.”
Her book follows Bruce’s struggles to overcome the adversities of a life in service.
“He went with such high ideals. He was quite a bombastic young man, he was going to save Mother England,” she said.
However, Bruce slowly became disillusioned. Arriving at Gallipoli after the first landing, he was confronted.
“The first thing he had to do was bury the dead, and they'd been lying there a month, so that was pretty horrible,” Cate said. Paralysed for months after one battle, Bruce had a nervous breakdown after the withdrawal of the first battle of Gaza.
It's about what the war did to him.
- Cate Davis
“That wasn't recognised as a mental illness in those days. If you were having mental problems, you were put in hospital for malaria,” Cate said. An aloof man, Bruce often had trouble expressing emotion.
“Writing this book has been overdue, because I understand him now. I understand why he was like he was.”
Cate took up writing as a creative outlet after tinnitus interrupted her music teaching career.
“Having a note blaring in your head when you're trying to tune an orchestra is very disconcerting,” she said. Cate will be launching her book at the Dust Jacket in June.