Memories
Serjeant Leonard George Rampton -
official 'war casualty'?
When the TADS Project Group researched the history of the men named on the Tadley War Memorial, they did not find any record for Leonard on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) website. This was confirmed by the CWGC in answer to a specific enquiry.
From the information the Project Group found, it was quite clear that Leonard Rampton had entered the regular Army as a fit young man in 1914 (?), and had been discharged as being 'no longer physically fit for war service' in December 1915, with the rank of Acting Serjeant. He died of ill health in February 1918, age 32, and it seemed clear that his Army service had destroyed his health.
He had been in the army during part of World War I and, although all his service had been in the United Kingdom, TADS still felt that there was a good case for him to be recorded as an official 'war casualty'.
Therefore TADS submitted a case to the CWGC supported by copies of documents the Project Group had found during its research, including his Medical Discharge Certificate and Death Certificate.
The CWGC staff submitted the case to the National Army Museum whose decision was:
'Despite the insight and conclusions offered by the Medical Board (1915) there is no reference to the condition that killed Corporal Rampton, tuberculosis of the kidney, anywhere within the report,' ... 'thus limiting our ability to establish an authoritative link between his military service and his death. As a result, Corporal Rampton does not qualify for commemoration by the CWGC.'
So, although not officially recognised as a 'war casualty', Leonard Rampton is recorded on at least two local war memorials.
Return to the top of the page.
Page updated: Monday 23 January 2017.
Review date: 31 December 2017.