Harry Hampton

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For the footballer, see Harry Hampton (footballer).

Harry Hampton VC (14 December 1870—2 November 1922) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

1 Details
2 Further information
3 The medal
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Details

He was 29 years old, and a sergeant in the 2nd Battalion, The King's (Liverpool) Regiment, British Army during the South African War (Boer War) when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 21 August 1900 at Van Wyk's Vlei, South Africa, Sergeant Hampton, who was in command of a small party of mounted infantry, held an important position for some time against heavy odds, and when compelled to retire saw all his men into safety and then, although he himself had been wounded in the head, supported a lance-corporal who was unable to walk until the latter was hit again and apparently killed. Sergeant Hampton received another wound some time later.

[edit] Further information

He later achieved the rank of Colour-Sergeant.

Although previously reported as having committed suicide by jumping in front of a train at Richmond rail station, he did in fact surcumb to injuries sustained from falling against a Shepperton train passing through St Margarets station Twickenham. In the subsequent inquest there was no mention he may have taken his own life the opinion of the coroner being that a leg injured when he had fallen from a bus approximatley two years before his death had given way as the Shepperton Train passed through St Margarets station.

He is buried in Richmond Old Cemetery, where for over 40 years his grave remained unmarked, the present headstone being erected with the assistance of the Kings Regimental Association in the late 1960s. However the date of death shown on that original headstone of the 4 February 1920 was incorrect, the error being corrected when the grave was restored in 2008 as part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames ' Adopt a Grave' scheme.^{[citation needed]}