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Major General Ian Ross Campbell, (23 March 1900 – 31 October 1997) was a senior officer in the Australian Army.

Early life
Ian Ross Campbell was born in Moss Vale, New South Wales, on 23 March 1900, the younger of two sons of Gerald Ross Campbell, a prominent Sydney barrister and soldier, and the English-born Mary Fraser Campbell ( Stewart). Campbell's mother died when he was two, and his father remarried to Marion Veitch Mein in 1905. Educated at Scots College, Sydney, he was accepted into the Royal Military College, Duntroon, as an officer cadet commencing March 1919. Campbell, a capable athlete, captained the football, tennis and cricket teams at Duntroon and represented the college in these sports from 1919–1922. He was also appointed battalion sergeant major in his final year.

Early career
Campbell graduated from Duntroon with the Sword of Honour for his exemplary performance as a cadet, and was commissioned a lieutenant in the Australian Army on 14 December 1922. He was appointed adjutant and quartermaster of the 36th Battalion in Sydney from 20 August 1923 and, in 1926, was seconded to the Royal Scots Fusiliers in India, seeing service on North-West Frontier along the Khyber Pass. Described as "a keen mountaineer", Campbell made climbs on Mount Everest during periods of leave in India. He returned to Australia in November 1926, and was briefly posted to Headquarters 1st Division before being appointed adjutant and quartermaster of the Sydney University Regiment on 24 January 1927. Three months later, on 26 April, Campbell married Patience Allison Russell in a ceremony presided over by the Reverend Philip Micklem at St James' Church, Sydney. The couple had one daughter, Gillian.

Promoted captain on 14 December 1930, Campbell was aide-de-camp to the Governor of New South Wales, Air Vice Marshal Sir Philip Game, from 16 November 1932 to 5 June 1934. He was preceded and succeeded in this appointment by Captain (later Lieutenant General) Victor Secombe. Campbell was again posted as an adjutant and quartermaster, serving with the 26th Battalion from July 1934. He remained as adjutant and quartermaster after the unit was merged with the 15th Battalion and reformed as the 15th/26th Battalion on 1 November. Twelve months later, he was sent to the United Kingdom to attend the Staff College, Camberley. Campbell returned to Australia in April 1938. He was appointed to staff postings with Army Headquarters in Melbourne, and promoted major on 15 December.

Second World War
Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Campbell was seconded to the Second Australian Imperial Force on 13 October 1939 for active service abroad. He was appointed to the 16th Brigade, serving as brigade major for Brigadier Arthur Allen.