He has a whole room devoted to the memorabilia at his Alexandra home but the pieces he inherited from family are, of course, the most precious to him.
‘‘It all started when I got my father's war medals; that's when I started to get passionate about it,'' he said.
‘‘It started from there and I got into it a lot more.''
A small assortment from his collection attracted lots of interest at the Omakau Anzac Day service yesterday.
‘‘I think it helps bring it alive for people. Last year I had a few bits and pieces on display at the Alexandra RSA for Anzac Day and when I went to take it down, they asked me to leave it all up a bit longer, there was so much interest in the items.
‘‘Especially from the kids, they seem to enjoy it and they read every single word of things like the framed documents. The photos and the written pieces make the person real for them.''
Mr Campbell's display included his father Hughie Campbell's kit bag and other items of his father's service in World War 2 and items from his father, William Leask Corrigall, and from the collection of his great-uncle, Samuel Corrigall, who served in World War 1.
‘‘It's family history and we're lucky to have all these things, so to me it's quite precious.''
The collection had expanded to include such things as an anti-aircraft shell, gold-painted bowls on a stand made by disabled WW1 soldiers, and military badges from the Boer War and WW1.
