John Charles “Jock” Campbell was born to Daniel Alexander and Marion (nee MacKay) on 10th January 1894 in Thurso, Caithness, and was educated at Sedbergh School.

At the beginning of the First World War, he joined the Honourable Artillery Company, and after graduating from the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, was commissioned into the Royal Horse Artillery in 1915. Serving in France, he was wounded twice and ended the war as a Captain, having earned the Military Cross.

When the Second World War broke out, Campbell was 45 years old and a Major commanding a battery in the 4th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery in Egypt.

When Italy declared war in June 1940, then a Lieutenant Colonel, he was commanding the artillery component of 7th Armoured Division's Support Group under Brigadier William Gott. The British Army was heavily outnumbered by the Italians, so General Archibald Wavell formulated a plan to retain the initiative by harassing the enemy using mobile flying columns.

John Campbell's brilliant command of one of these columns led to their being given the generic name "Jock columns". During Operation Compass, the first Allied desert campaign of the war, Campbell's guns played an important role in 7th Support Group's involvement in the decisive battle at Beda Fomm in February 1941 which led to the surrender of the Italian Tenth Army.

In April 1941 Campbell was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, receiving a second award clasp shortly afterwards.

In September, Campbell took over command of 7th Support Group as an acting Brigadier and in November, during Operation Crusader, during which it was planned to bypass the Italian forces and relieve Tobruk, 7th Support Group was occupying the airfield at Sidi Rezegh, south of the town, together with 7th Armoured Brigade.

For his actions during this battle, Jock Campbell was awarded the Victoria Cross:

The citation for the award was published in the London Gazette on 30 January 1942, and read:

“The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the VICTORIA CROSS to Brigadier (acting) John Charles Campbell, DSO, MC (135944), Royal Horse Artillery, in recognition of most conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at Sidi Rezegh on the 21st and 22nd November, 1941. 

On the 21st November Brigadier Campbell was commanding the troops, including one regiment of tanks, in the area of Sidi Rezegh ridge and the aerodrome. His small force holding this important ground was repeatedly attacked by large numbers of tanks and infantry. Wherever the situation was most difficult and the fighting hardest he was to be seen with his forward troops, either on his feet or in his open car. In this car he carried out several reconnaissances for counter-attacks by his tanks, whose senior officers had all become casualties early in the day. Standing in his car with a blue flag, this officer personally formed up tanks under close and intense fire from all natures of enemy weapons.

On the following day the enemy attacks were intensified and again Brigadier Campbell was always in the forefront of the heaviest fighting, encouraging his troops, staging counter-attacks with his remaining tanks and personally controlling the fire of his guns. On two occasions he himself manned a gun to replace casualties.

During the final enemy attack on the 22nd November he was wounded, but continued most actively in the foremost positions, controlling the fire of batteries which inflicted heavy losses on enemy tanks at point blank range, and finally acted as loader to one of the guns himself.

Throughout these two days his magnificent example and his utter disregard of personal danger were an inspiration to his men and to all who saw him. His brilliant leadership was the direct cause of the very heavy casualties inflicted on the enemy. In spite of his wounds, he refused to be evacuated and remained with his command, where his outstanding bravery and consistent determination had a marked effect in maintaining the splendid fighting spirit of those under him.”

It has been said that he received a letter of congratulation from General Johann von Ravenstein, commander of the 21st Panzer Division, one of the armoured formations which Campbell had faced at Sidi Rezegh. When interviewed later as a prisoner of war, Ravenstein freely expressed his "greatest admiration" for Campbell's skill on "those hot days" and recalled "all the many iron that flew near the aerodrome around our ears".

In February 1942, Jock Campbell was promoted Major-General and given command of 7th Armoured Division, but three weeks after this promotion, he was killed when his jeep overturned on a newly-laid clay road, and he is buried in Cairo CWGC War Memorial Cemetery.

During the Western Desert campaign, he was considered to be one of the finest commanders in the Eighth Army, an old desert hand who had been in North Africa from the start of the war, his loss was deeply felt.