| Regimental number | 438 |
| Place of birth | Burra, South Australia |
| Other Names | BAMPTON, Herbert James |
| School | Burra Public School |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Horse driver |
| Address | 41 Scott Street, Parkside, South Australia |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 44 |
| Height | 5' 7.5" |
| Weight | 144 lbs |
| Next of kin | Father, Henry Brampton, 41 Scott Street, Parkside, South Australia |
| Previous military service | Nil |
| Enlistment date | |
| Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
| Place of enlistment | Keswick, South Australia |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 32nd Battalion, B Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/49/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong on |
| The 32nd Bn (Headquarters, Signallers, A, B, C, and D Companies) embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on two ships, HMAT A2 'Geelong', on 18 November 1915, and HMAT A13 'Katuna', on 24 November 1915. The Embarkation Roll does not distinguish between these ships, and it is therefore not possible from the Embarkation Roll to ascertain on which ship an individual embarked. | |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 32nd Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Harbonnieres Gully, France |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 47 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France Villers-Bretonneux is a village about 15 km east of Amiens. The Memorial stands on the high ground ('Hill 104') behind the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Fouilloy, which is about 2 km north of Villers-Bretonneux on the east side of the road to Fouilloy. The Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux is approached through the Military Cemetery, at the end of which is an open grass lawn which leads into a three-sided court. The two pavilions on the left and right are linked by the north and south walls to the back (east) wall, from which rises the focal point of the Memorial, a 105 foot tall tower, of fine ashlar. A staircase leads to an observation platform, 64 feet above the ground, from which further staircases lead to an observation room. This room contains a circular stone tablet with bronze pointers indicating the Somme villages whose names have become synonymous with battles of the Great War; other battle fields in France and Belgium in which Australians fought; and far beyond, Gallipoli and Canberra. On the three walls, which are faced with Portland stone, are the names of 10,885 Australians who were killed in France and who have no known grave. The 'blocking course' above them bears the names of the Australian Battle Honours. After the war an appeal in Australia raised £22,700, of which £12,500 came from Victorian school children, with the request that the majority of the funds be used to build a new school in Villers-Bretonneux. The boys' school opened in May 1927, and contains an inscription stating that the school was the gift of Victorian schoolchildren, twelve hundred of whose fathers are buried in the Villers-Bretonneux cemetery, with the names of many more recorded on the Memorial. Villers-Bretonneux is now twinned with Robinvale, Victoria, which has in its main square a memorial to the links between the two towns. |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 119 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Henry and Mary Jane Bampton. |
| Family/military connections | Cousin: 2783 Corporal George William BAMPTON, 50th Bn, died of wounds, 15 September 1918 |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Disembarked Suez, 16 December 1915. Found guilty, 20 December 1915, of being absent without leave from 5 pm, to 7.30 pm, 20 December 1915: awarded 2 days Confined to Camp. Embarked Alexandria to join British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Wounded in action, France, 19 July 1916; admitted to 2nd Casualty Clearing Station, 19 July 1916 (gun shot wound, right thumb); transferred to Ambulance Train, 20 July 1916; to No 1 Convalescent Depot, Bologne, 22 July 1916; to Base Details, 13 August 1916; marched into 5th Australian Division Base Depot, Etaples, 14 August 1916; proceeded to join unit, 14 September 1916; rejoined unit, 16 September 1916. Detached to Lewis Gun School, 29 October 1916; rejoined unit, 8 November 1916. Admitted to 1st Anzac Divisional Rest Station, Somme, 2 December 1916 (trench foot); transferred to 10th General Hospital, Rouen, 5 December 1916; to England, 8 December 1916; admitted to Reading War Hospital, England, 9 December 1916; to 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Southall, 12 March 1917; discharged on furlough, 16 March 1917, to report to No 4 Command Depot, Wareham, 5 April 1917; marched into No 4 Command Depot, 5 April 1917; marched out to Infantry Depot, Perham Downs, 5 April 1917; marched out to 17th Bde, Windmill Hill, 25 April 1917; transferred to 66th Bn, 28 April 1917. Transferred to 70th Bn, Windmill Hill, 13 June 1917. Found guilty, 25 June 1917, of being improperly dressed on 9 am parade, 24 June 1917: admonished by Captain Foscworthy. Admitted to 17th Field Ambulance, 20 August 1917 (scabies); discharged to Training Depot, 24 August 1918; rejoined 70th Bn, 24 August 1917. Transferred to 32nd Bn, 19 September 1917. Proceeded overseas to France, 14 October 1917; marched into 5th Australian Division Base Depot, Havre, 15 October 1917; marched out to unit, 18 October 1917; taken on strength, 32nd Bn, 26 October 1917. [no details of service until 8 August 1918]. Killed in action, France, 8 August 1918. Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, BRAMPTON Herbert James |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
