Claude Ewen Cameron

Brigadier Claude Ewen Cameron, MC & Bar, OAM, ED (13 September 1894 – 10 September 1982) was an Australian Army officer. Cameron fought during the First World War with the Australian Imperial Force, serving at Gallipoli, Menin Road and Amiens. He was awarded the Military Cross for his actions during the Battle of Amiens, and won a Bar to the award for actions on 3 October 1918 during the Hundred Days' Offensive. He took command of the 18th Battalion in July 1933 and was promoted to a temporary colonel in 1940, taking command of the 8th Brigade. In August 1942, Cameron volunteered to serve in the Second Australian Imperial Force and, under his command, the 8th Brigade fought in the Huon Peninsula campaign. Cameron relinquished command of the brigade in August 1944 and took command of the 2nd Brigade from until December 1944. He was transferred to the Reserves on 27 February 1945 and mentioned in despatches for his service in New Guinea. Cameron returned to civilian life and was appointed managing director of Sydney Harbor Ferries in 1951. He retired in 1964. Cameron was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1980 and died two years later. He was initially employed by Dalgety & Co. as a junior clerk.

During an attack on 3 October near Beaurevoir in one of the final actions fought by the AIF during the war, Cameron took charge of forward units of his battalion and consolidated the flank of the brigade assault, for which he received a Bar to his MC.

With the war soon over due to the armistice of 11 November 1918, Cameron returned to Australia in April 1919 and was demobilized on 2 June. Cameron became an accountant at Sydney Ferries Limited in 1934. He was also the mayor of the municipality of Kuring-gai in 1936.

Second World War In May 1940, he became the commander of the 8th Brigade. Made a temporary brigadier in January 1941, Cameron was called up on 10 March and he subsequently led the brigade during garrison duties in Western Australia where they were deployed to respond in the event of a Japanese invasion. He transferred to the Second Australian Imperial Force in August 1942.

The 8th Brigade landed at Finschafen in January 1944, and took part in the final stages of the Huon Peninsula campaign. During the pursuit of the Japanese towards Madang, the brigade killed 734 Japanese and took 48 prisoners, losing three killed and five wounded, before reaching Madang in April 1944. Two months later, Cameron relinquished command and transferred to the 2nd Brigade in New South Wales from then to December 1944. Cameron was transferred to the Reserve of Officers on 27 February 1945 as an honorary brigadier. He was also mentioned in despatches for New Guinea service.

Civilian life Cameron returned to Sydney Ferries Limited, where he was the managing director of the Sydney Harbour Transport Board from 1951 to his 1964 retirement. In late 1945, he became the manager of the Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company, becoming its general manager in 1949. Cameron was the honorary colonel of the 17th/18th Battalion, North Shore Regiment between 1951 and 1960. In retirement he moved to Bayview, New South Wales, where he engaged in recreational pursuits such as fishing and golf. He also became involved with the Returned Services League of Australia. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1980 and died two years later at Thornleigh, New South Wales.