Ten years ago, on an S2 trip to London, Charlie shared with a teacher that he had a great-uncle who was killed in the First World War. Together, they researched this relative, Duncan Campbell, who died in 1915. Inspired by the project, Charlie asked for his great-uncle’s medals to be framed as a birthday present, a unique and touching request for a boy of his age.
In the course of that research, Charlie discovered that Duncan had an older brother, Major Lachlan Campbell of the Royal Garrison Artillery, who had also served with distinction. Lachlan was awarded the Military Cross and Mentioned in Dispatches, but his medals had long since left the family. Charlie made a promise that he would one day find them and bring them home.
After a decade-long search, Charlie has fulfilled that promise.
Against the odds, and with significant dedication, he managed to locate and purchase Lachlan’s Military Cross, reuniting it with Duncan’s medals on his bedroom wall. It is a truly remarkable collection, and a powerful testament to Charlie’s commitment to honouring his family’s history.
He plans to return to school again soon to share the story and the medals with the department that first sparked his interest in military history.
Charlie’s story is not only a testament to his own perseverance and character, but also to the values instilled at Stewart’s Melville: curiosity, respect, and a deep appreciation of legacy. We are proud to have played a part in a journey that began with a school trip and ended with the reunion of two brothers, generations apart, on one wall.
