Charles Campbell was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 26th June 1896, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Campbell (née Tasker). In 1915, the family home was at 50, Nimrod Street, Walton, Liverpool, Lancashire. His father was a fireman in the British Mercantile Marine and Charles was one of eleven children, although four of his siblings had died before 1911.
After leaving school, he became a shop assistant and then followed his father into the British Mercantile Marine, by becoming a trimmer on steam ships.
He signed on as a trimmer in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania at Liverpool, on the 12th April 1915 for what would be the liner’s last ever voyage to America and reported for duty at 8 a.m. on the 17th April, the day she left the River Mersey. As a trimmer, his monthly rate of pay was £6-0s-0d. and upon engagement, he was given an advance on his pay of £1-0s-0d.
Charles Campbell was killed when she was sunk on the 7th May as she was on her return voyage to Liverpool. He was aged 18 years.
His body was not found and identified afterwards and as a consequence, his name is embossed on the Mercantile Memorial at Tower Hill, London.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Liverpool England Church of England Baptisms 1813 – 1919, 1901 Census of England, 1911 Census of England, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, PRO BT 334, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 30th December 2022.