1st Bn The Winnipeg Grenadiers
General Information | ||
| Rank: | First Name: | Second Name: |
|---|---|---|
| Private | Joseph | Roderick |
| From: | Enlistment Region: | Date of Birth (y-m-d): |
| Mafeking MB | Manitoba | 1917-08-27 |
| Appointment: | Company: | Platoon: |
| HQ Coy | ||
Transportation - Home Base to Hong Kong
Members of 'C' Force from the East travelled across Canada by CNR troop train, picking up reinforcements enroute. Stops included Valcartier, Montreal, Ottawa, Armstrong ON, Capreol ON, Winnipeg, Melville SK, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, and Vancouver, arriving in Vancouver on Oct 27 at 0800 hrs.
The Winnipeg Grenadiers and the local soldiers that were with Brigade Headquarters from Winnipeg to BC travelled on a CPR train to Vancouver.
All members embarked from Vancouver on the ships AWATEA and PRINCE ROBERT. AWATEA was a New Zealand Liner and the PRINCE ROBERT was a converted cruiser. "C" Company of the Rifles was assigned to the PRINCE ROBERT, everyone else boarded the AWATEA. The ships sailed from Vancouver on Oct 27th and arrived in Hong Kong on November 16th, having made brief stops enroute at Honolulu and Manila.
Equipment earmarked for 'C' Force use was loaded on the ship DON JOSE, but would never reach Hong Kong as it was rerouted to Manila when hostilities commenced.
On arrival, all troops were quartered at Nanking Barracks, Sham Shui Po Camp, in Kowloon.
Battle Information
We do not have specific battle information for this soldier in our online database. For a detailed description of the battle from a Canadian perspective, visit Canadian Participation in the Defense of Hong Kong (published by the Historical Section, Canadian Military Headquarters).
Wounded Information
No wounds recorded.Hospital Information
| Name of hospital | Date of admission | Date of discharge | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HK-BMH | 02/28/1942 | 04/02/1942 | 118 | |
| HK-BMH | 06/13/1942 | 08/08/1942 | 118; 26 |
POW Camps
| Camp ID | Camp Name | Location | Company | Type of Work | Arrival Date | Departure Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HK-SA-01 | Shamshuipo | Kowloon, Hong Kong | Capture | 42 Jan 22 | ||
| HK-NP-02 | North Point | North Point, Hong Kong Island | 42 Jan 22 | 42 Sep 26 | ||
| HK-SA-02 | Shamshuipo | Kowloon, Hong Kong | 42 Sep 26 | 43 Aug 15 | ||
| JP-To-5B | Niigata-Rinko | Niigata-ken, Nakakambara-gun, Ogata-mura, Japan | Marutsu, Rinko Coal, Shintetsu | Stevedore labor at port of Niigata (Marutsu), primarily foodstuffs; mining coal (Rinko Coal ) and labor at a foundry (Shintetsu) | 43 Sep 02 | 45 Sep 05 |
Transport to Japan
| Draft Number | Name of Ship | Departure Date | Arrival Date | Arrival Port | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XD4B | Manryu Maru | 43 Aug 15 | 43 Sep 01 | Osaka, Japan | Brief stopover in Taihoku (Taipei), Formosa (Taiwan); then 2 day stopover at northern point for stool tests | Tony Banham |
Transportation SE Asia to Home
| Transport Mode | Arrival Destination | Arrival Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| USS Admiral CF Hughes | Victoria, BC | 1945-10-09 | Manila to Victoria BC |
No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.
Post-war Photo
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Other Military or Public Service
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Death and Cemetery Information
| Date of Death (y-m-d) | Cause of Death | Death Class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-12-13 | Not recorded | ||
| Cemetery Location | Cemetery | Grave Number | Gravestone Marker |
Gravestone Image
No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.
Obituary / Life Story
Jospeh Roderick Campbell passed away peacefully after a short illness at St. Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg.
Better known to his friends as "Little Joe", he was 62 years of age at the time of his passing. He was born on August 27th, 1919 in Winnipegosis, Man. where he spent his younger life and most of his early and late life in Mafeking. He served with the Princess Pats Canadian Light Infantry and the Winnipeg Grenadiers in Hong Kong. While serving with the Grenadiers, Joe was taken prisoner of war in Hong Kong and spent almost five years in a prisoner of war camp.
In 1946 Joe married Winnifred Pawlinsky, they had one daughter Tannice Laurelle.
Joe was employed in various points in northern Manitoba until his early retirement due to ill health. He was an active member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Brand No. 93, Mafeking.
He was predeceased by his father, Mr. Roderick in 1948, and is survived by his wife Winnifred, his daughter Tannice and son-in-law Alton Lindstrom, grandsons Blayne, Stan and Lee of Prince George, B.C., his mother Eliza and Stepfather George Hayes of Mafeking, two brothers Emil Campbell and wife Marge of Winnipeg and Wilfred "Mac" Campbell and wife Lola of Sechelt, B.C. two sisters Nora Cochrane of Vancouver and Helene Overton of Ottawa and Many relatives and friends.
A memorial service was held in the Mafeking Legion Hall on December 15th, 1981. Father Feltman conducted the service along with members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 93.
His remains will be cremated and to be followed by interment beside his Hong Kong comrades in the military plot in Winnipeg. In lieu of flowers, if relatives and friends so desire, memorial donations may be made to the Canadian National Institute of the Blind in Winnipeg or a charity of their choice.
unknown newspaper clipping
Peacefully on December 13, 1981 at St. Boniface Hospital, Joseph Roderick Campbell, of Mafeking,
Man.
Mr. Campbell was born in Winnipegosis, Man. During the Second World War he served with the P.P.C.L.I. and with the Winnipeg Grenadiers in Hong Kong. Predeceased by his father Roderick in 1947, Mr. Campbell is survived by his wife Winnifred; his daughter Tannice Laurelle and son-in-law Alton Lindstrom; grandsons, Blayne, Sean and Lee of Prince George, B.C.; his mother Eliza and stepfather George Hayes of Mafeking; his brothers, Emil and wife Marg of Winnipeg and Wilfred and wife Lola of Sechelt, B.C.; his! sisters, Nora Cochrane of Vancouver and Helene Overton of Ottawa, Ont. and many other relatives and friends.
Following cremation, a memorial service will be held on Tuesday, December 15 at 2:00 p.m. in the Legion Hall, Mafeking, Man.
In lieu of flowers, if relatives and friends so desire, memorial donations may be made to the Canadian National Institute of the Blind, 1031 Portage Ave., Winnipeg for a charity of their choice. The Thomson Funeral Chapels in care of arrangements.
unknown newspaper clipping
Joseph Campbell was born to Mr. and Mrs. Rod Campbell in Mafeking, Manitoba. Joe had brothers Emil and Max and sisters Nora and Lena. One brother was in the Navy and another brother was in in the Royal Army Service Corp. Joe had been married to and divorced from Winnie Pawlinski. He joined the Princess Pats and was then transferred to the Winnipeg Grenadiers. Joe spent nearly 4-1/2 years in Hong Kong as a Prisoner of War. Joe died on December 13, 1981. It is believed he is buried in Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg.
Excerpt from a booklet Hong Kong Vets of the Swan River Valley compiled by Leone Sigurdson in September 2018
Links and Other Resources
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Related documentation
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General Comments
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End of Report.
Report generated: 27 Apr 2025.
Additional Notes
(These will not be visible on the printed copy)
- Service numbers for officers ("X") are locally generated for reporting only. During World War II officers were not allocated service numbers until 1945.
- 'C' Force soldiers who died overseas are memorialized in the Books of Remembrance and the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, both sponsored by Veterans Affairs Canada. Please use the search utility at VAC to assist you.
- Some birthdates and deathdates display as follows: 1918-00-00. In general, this indicates that we know the year but not the month or day.
- Our POW camp links along with our References link (near the bottom of the 'C' Force home page) are designed to give you a starting point for your research. There were many camps with many name changes. The best resource for all POW camps in Japan is the Roger Mansell Center for Research site.
- In most cases the rank displayed was the rank held before hostilities. Some veterans were promoted at some point prior to eventual post-war release from the army back in Canada. When notified of these changes we'll update the individual's record.
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