Son of Robert Campbell and Eleonora Stirling, both of Perthshire, Scotland. Father of Mary Campbell, Jack Campbell and Christina Waddy (nee Campbell) and Eleanor Knott, of Gilbert Plains, Manitoba. After a brief political career, Campbell enlisted in the First World War at the age of 51 where he formed the 79th Battalion at Brandon, and rose to the rank of Major. He then recruited the 107th Battalion (one of the first primarily Aboriginal units in the Canadian Army) and went to France as its Lieutenant-Colonel. He later won the Distinguished Service Order. After a long and difficult illness, Campbell died in hospital from ureter toxemia in October 1917, only 3 days before his 54th birthday.