Profile

CAMERON, Robert Brown
(Service number 6/3720)

Robert Brown Cameron, 1918 — Taken by Elite Studios, Glasgow, Scotland. (Courtesy of P Wells )

Robert Brown Cameron — Pictured as his granddaughter, Paula Wells, remembers him - in his bowls outfit. (Courtesy of P Wells )

Robert and Jessie Cameron — Robert noted in his diary entry of 19 November 1916 that he “Received decent little parcel from Jessie Menzies” (Courtesy of P Wells )

Robert Brown Cameron's Watchmaking and Jewellery business in High Street, Waimate. — (Courtesy of P Wells )

Robert Brown Cameron's medals — Pictured (from left to right) are the Military Medal (MM), 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal (Courtesy of P Wells )

The Cameron brothers (from left to right):
BACK: David Gordon Cameron (7/1049), Robert Brown Cameron (6/3720);
FRONT: Hugh Lindley Cameron (26/1033), James Cameron (did not serve - medically unfit) (Courtesy of P Wells )

Aliases	Bob
First Rank	Private	Last Rank	Corporal

Birth

Date	01/06/1891	Place of Birth	Otepopo

Enlistment Information

Date	25/08/1915	Age	24
Address at Enlistment	Queen Street, Waimate
Occupation	Watchmaker
Previous Military Experience
Marital Status	Single
Next of Kin	Mrs H. Cameron, mother, Timaru Rd, Waimate
Religion	Presbyterian
Medical Information

Military Service

Served with	NZ Armed Forces	Served in	Egypt and France
Military District

Embarkation Information

Body on Embarkation	8th Reinforcements
Unit, Squadron, or Ship	Canterbury Infantry Battalion
Date	13/11/1915
Transport	Willochra
Embarked From	Wellington	Destination	Suez, Egypt

Other Units Served With	Trench Mortar Battery
Last Unit Served With

Military Awards

Campaigns
Service Medals
Military Awards	Military Medal

Award Circumstances and Date

Cameron, Robert Brown, 6/3270, M.M.: Corporal 1st Battalion Canterbury Regiment attached No. 2 Light Trench Mortar Battery "For bravery and devotion to duty on August 24th 1918 during the attack on Bapaume. Corporal Cameron was N.C.O. in charge of a section of 2 guns of a Light Trench Mortar Battery. The teams had to advance over very difficult ground which was subjected to a heavy shell and machine gun barrage. Corporal Cameron succeeded in keeping his men together until one of the gun teams was blown out. He then made excellent use of the mortar and ammunition remaining at his disposal. Later during the withdrawal from the forward positions he showed great coolness and leadership and was in constant touch with the Infantry. Throughout the operation his courageous and decisive action was an inspiring example to his men." (London Gazette, 13 March 1919, p3452 Rec No 2659)

Prisoner of War Information

Date of Capture
Where Captured and by Whom
Actions Prior to Capture
PoW Serial Number
PoW Camps
Days Interned
Liberation Date

Discharge

Date		Reason

Hospitals, Wounds, Diseases and Illnesses

Post-war Occupations

Death

Date	18/03/1970	Age	78
Place of Death	Waimate
Cause	Heart Failure & Chronic Bronchitis
Notices	Obituary – Timaru Herald March 1970: "The death occurred last week of Mr Robert Brown Cameron, 78, who had been a watchmaker and jewellery business in Waimate for more than 30 years. Born in Herbert, he attended school there and at Hakataramea before completing his education at Waimate. He then served his watchmaker and jewellery apprenticeship with Mr W. Coltman in a shop adjacent to the Waimate Post Office. Gallantry in action with the First N.Z.E.F. in France during the first World War earned him the Military Medal. On his return to Waimate, Mr Cameron was employed for many years by the jewellery firm of E. Stewart Mills, before opening a business on his own account in High Street. He retired several years ago when the business was taken over by his son, Evan. He was associated with many district bodies, being a life member of the Waimate Bowling Club and a representative miniature rifle shooter for many years and a member of the Knox Presbyterian Church. Mr Cameron is survived by his daughter and son."
Memorial or Cemetery	Waimate Old Cemetery
Memorial Reference
New Zealand Memorials

Biographical Notes

Sources

External Links

Researched and Written by

Paula Wells, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License unless otherwise stated.