Sir William Robert Campion, (3 July 1870 – 2 January 1951) was a British soldier, politician, and the 21st Governor of Western Australia from 1924 to 1931.
Early years
Born in London, England on 3 July 1870, Campion was educated at Eton College and the University of Oxford, and was the Conservative MP for Lewes from 1910 to 1924.
Military career
Campion was commissioned into the part-time 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, later 4th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment (of which his father was Honorary Colonel) in 1888. On the outbreak of World War I he was the battalion's senior Captain with the rank of honorary Major. He became Lieutenant-Colonel of the 1st Line battalion (1/4th Royal Sussex) and commanded it in the Gallipoli campaign. At its first action, at Suvla Bay on 9 August 1915, the Official History records that the orders given to Lt-Col Campion 'were vague in the extreme. The colonel was verbally told "to restore the line". No one knew where it was, but he was told that "if he went in that direction (pointing to a column of smoke from the burning scrub) he ought to find the 2/4th Queen's".' The 1/4th Sussex advanced steadily in extended order, found the Queen's who had been driven off the crest, and consolidated a line, having suffered heavy casualties. Campion was evacuated to England sick on 5 October. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1918 and continued to command the battalion in the postwar Territorial Army.