Walter Campbell

Sir Walter "Wally" Benjamin Campbell, (4 March 1921 – 4 September 2004) was an Australian judge, administrator and governor. He was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland, Chancellor of the University of Queensland and the 21st Governor of Queensland from 1985 to 1992. Background and early life Campbell was born in Burringbar, northern New South Wales, to Archie Eric Gordon Campbell and Leila Mary, née Murphy. Archie Campbell was a decorated soldier of the First World War, having won the Military Cross for gallantry in action against the Ottoman Turks in Gaza and the Distinguished Service Order for later efforts in Damascus. Leila Campbell died unexpectedly, leaving Campbell and his brothers to spend a considerable amount of time with their mother's parents in northern New South Wales. The death of his mother interrupted Campbell's early education at a Christian Brothers' convent in Toowoomba and led to his continuing his studies at a college in Lismore, New South Wales. Campbell completed his education at Downlands College, Toowoomba, becoming the college's first Open Scholar in the late 1930s, having already been named dux of the college twice and earning the highest grade in Queensland for Senior Latin. University and military service Campbell attended the University of Queensland from 1940, and served as editor of the student paper Semper Floreat during his first year. He interrupted his studies in 1941 to take up service in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), during the Second World War. He passed his pilot's examination at RAAF Base Amberley on 7 December 1941 and was assigned to the 67th Reserve Squadron of the RAAF, which patrolled Australia's eastern coast. Campbell became a flight instructor and was based in Tasmania, badly injuring his knee in a biplane crash. After his recovery, the RAAF put Campbell in command of a Liberator Base in the Darling Downs.